Bumi's Master
by Perfectly-Imperfect-447
Summary: Bumi is jealous of his siblings' bending and is angry at the fact he can't do the same. Sokka comes over to visit one day and takes Bumi under his wing. Republic City is still in distress however. Join us as we watch his journey to become a master unfold. Newly Edited!
1. Understanding

**Hello!**

**So I've been reading a lot of ATLA/LOK fanfiction and blogs and this idea popped into my head two days ago.**

**It could be a multi-chapter if you guys like it and if anything, I'll just write an ending chapter if it feels incomplete.**

**Hope you guys enjoy!**

* * *

As the sunset on the dock of the Avatar's home island off coast of the Earth Kingdom, one small boy watched as the last gleams of the sun dissapeared behind the horizon.

Bumi was curled up. He was quite bored and annoyed at the fact that no one was there to hang out or play with him.

Bumi was the only one of the Avatar's children who wasn't practicing their bending and sometimes Bumi liked it that way.

Of course, since it was their parents training them to be bending masters, there was no one left to watch or entertain. Being the _only_ non-bender in a family full of talented benders and being named after one wasn't very nice. It often had Bumi alone and left to his own devices. There were only so many times you could read the whole library at the temple or listen to awful daily readings of the "_The Last Airbender_" before getting bored.

Bumi was a smart child, being able to learn quickly and understand more than his siblings. He often bested his father in a game of Pai Sho with his outstanding strategy skills, could recite simple facts about all the nations, and drove Tenzin mad with his challeging arguments about the political standing of Yu Dao, which always made sense and were solid.

But alone, he was weak. There was nothing to do on the island where their home was based that was appropriate for a child his age.

At least until the kids met their uncle Sokka of the Water Tribe. While Kya and Tenzin loved their uncle, Bumi was the one who idolized them.

While the rest of the world always idolized his father, _Master of the four elements_, his mother,_ Master Waterbender and Healer, _or his "aunt", _the chief and creator of the Metalbending Academy_, it was Sokka's ability to hold himself up in battle, without bending, that drew Bumi in.

"Bumi, is that you? What are you doing out here? Your mom is going to be mad that you're out here in the cold." Sokka announced as he spotted the young boy sitting with his chin resting on his knees.

Bumi looked up and saw his uncle heading his way. He immediately brightened up and ran to meet with him.

"Uncle Sokka! What are you doing here?" He said as he wrapped his arms around his tall uncle's waist in a tight hug.

Sokka patted the young boy's head as he answered his question.

"I'm here to visit you all. The rest of the council is casting their votes for the next Fire Nation representative. I did it already and they granted me vacation time. Where are your parents?" He asked, looking around.

Bumi pulled away from his beloved uncle angrily. He sat on the ground again in the position he was in earlier and huffed.

"They're training my siblings." He said bitterly.

Sokka noticed the change in tone in his nephew's voice and sat down right next to him.

"What's wrong Bumi? What's the matter?" He said soothingly

Bumi stayed silent. Sokka sighed and started to rub his back.

"What is it kid? You can tell me."

"I hate not being a bender. No one pays attention to me. I want to bend! I want to feel important." He said quietly

Sokka widened his eyes in surprise. He didn't know Bumi had felt this way.

"You know, when I was younger, I felt exactly like you did. Katara was always the special one. She could waterbend and heal and fight and all I could do was wave my boomerang around. I kept thinking how I was supposed to compare to someone who could move water whenever they wanted. I felt useless, especially when it came to fighting in the Hundred Year War. I saw all these benders around me, taking on ten people at a time without breaking a sweat. I could only handle two, three at the most and I was tired by the end of it. I was so sick of it."

Bumi looked at his uncle, who paused in his story.

"What did you do? How did you get through all that?"

"I found a master."

Bumi looked at Sokka in confusion.

"A master? A master of what?" He asked

"A sword master. I found one in the Fire Nation and he taught me about the ways of the sword. He was also a non-bender and was willing to teach people from all nations as long as they were worthy."

Bumi thought about what his uncle had just said.

_A master, someone who could teach me. Just me, not my siblings._

_"_Do you think you can be my master, uncle Sokka? You could teach me about sword-fighting and boomerang throwing and whatever else you wanted to!" Bumi said happily

Sokka considered his nephew's words before answering.

"I need to talk to your parents, but it's a definite possibility."

Bumi cheered as he hugged his uncle.

"Thanks Uncle Sokka!"

Sokka returned his nephew's hug and stood up.

"Come on, let's go interrupt your family's training." He said, with a turn of his head.

Bumi smiled and followed his uncle to the house.

* * *

"I want to teach Bumi how to fight." Sokka announced as he helped Aang and Katara clear the table after their welcoming feast for Sokka.

The two of them turned around to face Sokka and looked at him in confusion.

"Why do you want to teach him how to fight? He's already a hyper child, he doesn't need weapons thrust into his life." Katara argued

Sokka sighed as he placed the dishes in the sink. They were going to need some convincing.

"Katara, he's miserable." He said sadly

Katara opened her mouth to argue before Aang grabbed her arm.

"What do you mean he's miserable? Did he say something to you?" Aang asked with concern

"He mentioned it when I saw him earlier. He was sulking on the cliff out back when I found him. He hates that he can't bend. He says that when you guys go to train Kya and Tenzin, he feels forgotten."

"But he knows what we're doing is import-"

"But it doesn't matter, Katara. He still feels left out. You, Aang, Kya, and Tenzin were blessed with your bending abilities. No offense, but you don't really understand what it feels like to be a non-bender in a group of benders."

Aang and Katara looked guilty as they thought of their son.

They loved their children equally, there was no doubt about that. However, they were starting to realize that they _did_ often leave Bumi behind.

Katara wouldn't lie, she was happy when it was discovered that Kya was a waterbender. After being the only one in the Southern Water Tribe, you take what you get.

Aang was ecstatic at the fact that Tenzin was an Airbender. He knew that the Airbending gene was very strong and could possibly create a new set of airbenders._  
_

They both took their children to training very soon, unwittingly leaving Bumi behind in the process.

"So you really think that teaching Bumi how to fight will help him?" Aang asked

"Quite honestly, yes. I think that if he has something to do and something to learn, he;ll be better off than just laying around the house doing nothing."

Katara looked at Aang and nodded.

"We will let you train Bumi. Just please," he paused for a moment to share eye contact with Sokka, "please be careful. I know he needs this." Aang said, quietly saying the last words.

Sokka smiled and hugged his brother in law.

"I promise to keep him safe. I can't promise that he won't come home without bruises, because come on, it's Bumi. I'll protect him."

Katara smiled and went in for her own hug.

"Where are you going to train him?" She asked curiously

"I want to start here, where he's comfortable. But eventually, he'll have to learn about other terrains. Maybe the Southern Water Tribe and Kyoshi Island." Sokka stated confidently.

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea, maybe we could visit the Southern Water Tribe together. Like a family vacation!" Katara exclaimed.

"Katara, before we start planning vacations and trips, I think it's better if we tell Bumi the news." Sokka said looking over to the corridor that separated the kitchen from the rest of the house.

"Oh, he already knows. I can feel him jumping up and down behind the door." Aang said, pointing to his feet.

"Then we have nothing to worry about." Sokka said.

All the adults laughed as Bumi was still jumping.

_He was finally going to be able to do something. Something that could help his family._

Bumi finally had a master.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**So, how was it?**

**If you guys want to see more, send me requests of weapons or fighting styles Bumi should learn.**

**I definitely want to write chapters on Sword, Boomerang, Some sort of Kyoshi Island Warrior ways, and maybe a chapter of Ice dodging.**

**Thank You for reading and please review!**

**-Cali-447**


	2. Sokka's Arrival

**Hi There! So Thanks to all the positive feed back, I've started to work on this story even more.**

**Now, My head canon is that Kya is 15, Bumi is 12, and Tenzin is 11. This is a year after Yakone, but Republic City still needs help. This is just quick filler; the real training starts in the next chapter, which will be posted soon.**

* * *

It had been one week after Sokka had agreed to train Bumi.

The wait had been unbearable for Bumi. Kya and Tenzin had still gotten to train the week Sokka had gone back to Republic City to take time off to be with Bumi.

Katara and Aang had been trying to help the young boy calm down, but they had no luck. The twelve year-old was too excited and had been telling anyone who would listen about his lessons.

_"And then he's going to teach me how to sword fight.." _

_"His boomerang lessons will be the best part.."_

_"Yeah, I guess you could say I'm a prodigy..."_

It was now the day that Sokka said he would be able to arrive. Bumi had gotten ready bright and early to be able to see if he could be the first one to greet Sokka as he docked his ship.

Tenzin, who had always woken up at the time Bumi woke up that day, agreed to wait with him.

"Bumi, you need to calm down. You're disturbing my meditation exercise." He repremanded

"Ah, Tenzin! You already meditate with Dad for like three hours, You don't need this extra time!" Bumi exclaimed

Tenzin flushed the color of a tomato. He pouted, his whole bottom lip sticking out and went inside with a flourish of his Airbender robes.

Bumi sighed. He should've been nicer to his brother. It was the only problem the two ever had. Bumi was too agressive and Tenzin too calm. It was the cause of most of their arguments.

Bumi kicked a pebble that was next to him. He frustrated himself at times. He always promised his mother he'd try to get along with Tenzin and he failed most of the time.

At that moment, Tenzin came outside again, carrying the family's pai sho board. Bumi smiled and went to go help his brother set up the table.

While their father wasn't much of a challenge to either boy, they matched wits. Each had their own working stratagy, but they were completly powerless against each other. It was one of the few things that the two boys wouldn't argue about. At least until one of them lost.

By the time Katara had come out to get her two sons, the score was tied. Both Bumi and Tenzin had won four games. They were in the middle of the ninth game when she called them.

"Bumi! Tenzin! Come inside! Breakfast is ready!"

Bumi's mouth made an "O" shape as he realized the time.

His mother had alway prepared breakfast two hours after the sun had broken. Sokka was expected by the time breakfast was being made.

Bumi looked to the coast longingly. Was he coming? Had he forgotten about Bumi?

He turned to ask him mother for five more minutes, but Tenzin had already run in and Katara was looking at him.

He walked slowly to the house, his eyes never leaving the coast.

Katara wrapping her arm around him broke is stare.

"He just sent a messenger hawk. The tides aren't letting him pull in safely. He hopes to be in before sundown." She said reassuringly.

Bumi smiled at his mother. She could almost always read his mind and she knew just what to say.

He ran in to see that his family was already at the dinner table.

He took his seat next to Tenzin and observed what his mother had layed out for breakfast.

She has set out seaweed stew, a staple in their family diet, white rice, and fruit pies. Tenzin and Aang were currently swirlling the fruit pies as Katara and Kya served the tea.

He looked at his family in envy. They seem to accidently flaunt their skills whenever they wanted to.

_Calm down, Bumi. You're getting your lessons soon._

He began to serve his bowl with seaweed stew and rice and his sister followed suit.

Kya and Bumi were very similar in attitude. Kya had always wanted a brother to boss around, so when Bumi came, she was happy. Kya was one of the few people that Bumi got along with. They both inheritted their mother's headstrong personality and were always convinced they were right. They liked some of the same picture shows, music, and foods. The Water Tribe based cuisine was heaven to them.

This is why they both ate very quickly and went back for seconds before Tenzin had finished half of his meal.

"Kya, Bumi! What are you in a hurry for?" Aang asked as he reached across the table for rice.

"I have to go get ready! Huang will be here soon!" Kya said, referencing her boyfriend.

Katara rolled her eyes as she spoke.

"I thought we told him he wasn't allowed during breakfast time. You've only been dating for two months and already breaking rules. Honestly, you teenagers keep taking everything too quickly. You guys should slow down before you end up married or something."

"How long did you know Dad before you started dating?" Kya challenged

"Your father and I were very good friends before we started dating. We got to know each other before dating. And even then we took it slowly and responsibly." Katara said as she turned the same shade of red Tenzin had reached earlier.

"Is that why Tenzin wants to name his sky bison Oogi? Uncle Sokka was telling us about you two last week, you know." She replied a smirk on her face as she took a sip of her tea.

Katara's eyes opened wide and Aang's smile fell off his face.

"Go to your room and get ready." Aang said sternly

Kya looked scared for a moment as her father was the calmer one of her parents. She left to her room, running from the table.

Bumi and Tenzin were trying to control their laughter. Their parents were red with anger and embarrassment. Katara looked to Bumi and Tenzin with a glare and they both became silent.

"Bumi, I don't have to ask why you're eating quickly, do I?" Aang asked, as he began to eat again.

"No, I'm just excited for uncle Sokka." Bumi as he began to eat the food he had served before Kya had left.

"I'm glad you're excited. It must be exciting for you to get to learn from Sokka." Tenzin added

Aang and Katara looked to each other with happiness painted on their faces. Bumi had been much more active and happy since the night Sokka had agreed to train him. Kya and Tenzin had shared in his excitement as well. The whole island seemed brighter since that day.

"What are 'oogies?" Tenzin asked

"Here let me show you. Sokka showed me last time." Bumi said taking Tenzin's hand and bringing it close to his mouth.

Katara stood up to stop her older son, but it was too late. Tenzin was already yelling.

"OOGIES!"

* * *

Bumi should have known better than to slobber over his younger brother's hand.

After a stern talk and brutal punishment set for the week, Bumi was allowed to go wait for Sokka on the dock again.

He strolled over to where the Pai Sho Board from the morning layed. He smiled as he looked over and saw that Tenzin was one fatal move from losing the game. He sat down and set the board up again.

He knew that soon, after he stopped feeling disgusted, Tenzin would come out and challenge him for the dignity Bumi had taken at the breakfast table.

Bumi promised himself that he would let Tenzin win when he did come.

*#*

It was high noon when Tenzin decided to come out again.

He walked to the playing board, sat down, and moved his piece. He said nothing to Bumi. Bumi quickly took notice of his brother's annoyance and moved his first piece as well.

The two boys continued this game in silence. The only noise were the wooden pieces being placed on the board.

They were so concentrated on the game in front of them, they didn't notice the familiar one-man Water Tribe ship docking the port. They also didn't notice the man walking off the ship and waving to them. They also missed him walking by them and into the house where their parents and sister greeted the man happily.

They did however notice when he was standing over them watching the game with a fake beard glued on to his face.

"Now, gentleman, I do say, that particular move was quite foolish!" The man called Wang Fire proposed.

Bumi and Tenzin looked at their uncle in confusion, before shrugging it off and hugging the peculiar man.

"Uncle Sokka! I've been waiting for you since forever!" Bumi exclaimed.

"Uncle! How are you? May I ask why you're wearing that beard?" Tenzin asked.

"Who is this 'Sokka' you speak of? I'm Wang Fire! Let's go find your parents, you confused boys." 'Wang Fire' announced.

Bumi helped Tenzin pack up the Pai Sho board and followed their uncle inside.

"I told you they would notice the beard! Boys, help Sokka take his things upstairs" Aang announced

The boys got his things and went upstairs to Sokka's room.

"Yeah but now I'm more concerned about getting it off." Sokka said in his regular voice.

"Well, where's the glue you used?" Aang asked

"I used that pot over there on the table."

Aang and Sokka looked to the table to see Katara using said glue to fix the chair Tenzin had broken earlier.

"Hey Katara? How long until this glue comes off?"

Katara glanced up from her work and stared at Sokka's beard.

"Sokka, that beard isn't going to come off. It's a special blend for a long time hold. I don't know the effects of skin though, so you should go take a shower or something to see if the heated water can get it off." Katara said as she laughed loudly.

Sokka pouted and walked upstairs to go try to peel his beard off.

"Great idea, Aang." He said sarcastically as he passed the Airbender.

*#*

By dinner time, Sokka had gotten about half of the beard off, but certain pieces still remained on the Warrior's face. Bumi and Kya had laughed at their uncle, but Tenzin tried to remain respectful. He was only laughing when he was sure that Sokka wasn't able to see him.

Their parents tried to control their children's laughter for Sokka's sake, but it was no use. They had lost respect for Sokka's current face as well.

Sokka was pouting all through dinner. Even when Katara produced the possum-chicken she bought especially for Sokka. He ate the meat hungrily but still kept a solemn look on his face. The children began to feel bad for their uncle once they saw that not even meat, which they were only allowed to eat occasionally, could help their uncle.

They all stopped making fun of Sokka's beard and continued eating in silence. Sokka noticed the quietness and smiled at the fact they stopped making fun of him.

"Katara, this is really great possum-chicken!" Sokka announced

"Thanks Sokka. I'm glad you liked it. How are things over in Republic City?" Katara answered

Sokka's face fell for the smallest second before regaining its composure.

"Things are good. Toph has a good grip on the city with her Metalbenders." He lied

Aang and Katara noticed his look and nodded.

"Well then, if everything's alright, we can talk more after dinner." Aang responded

"How's Lin?" Tenzin asked

Bumi and Kya shared knowing glances. The young Airbender and Earthbender were _very _good friends.

"She's well. Toph was telling me that she's been doing well with her lessons. Last I saw her; she was hanging out with some friends before she left."

Tenzin was smiling at the fact his friend was happy and began eating his rice again.

"Is everyone almost done? It's almost bedtime and you guys have training tomorrow." Katara asked

Her children all nodded and picked up their plates and cups to bring to the sink.

"You guys go get ready for bed. I'll take care of the dishes today." Katara told her children.

They all cheered and ran upstairs, except for Tenzin who only walked respectfully.

"So Sokka, how are things _really_ in Republic City?" Aang asked, as soon as Katara had gotten back in her seat.

Sokka sighed and began to repeat the tales of Republic City.

"Well, they're not completely bad. No one's dead, but there is trouble. The crime bosses have formed groups called 'Bending Triads.' They are getting restless with the loss of Yakone. It's like they're all competing to see who can take the title of the worse criminal from him. Robbery, arson, blackmail, extortion, you name it, someone probably trying to commit it right now. The good news it that since they're all competing against each other, they're taking each other down. Each week, we have one less gang to worry about, but that only means that one is getting stronger."

"What about Toph? How are her Metalbenders doing?" Katara asked

"I haven't seen an inch of her since Yakone's trial. I've seen Lin and she seems okay, but Toph's been on overdrive. They've spread all over the city, containing what ever crimes they can. The method's working, but if there's a big attack, we could be done for. The news in Republic City says she's still doing a wonderful job, but that she needs more than just her Metalbenders."

"How can we fix that? Do we have to bring in reinforcements?" Aang asked

"I've been planning with the Council to go meet with Zuko, the Earth King, and the Chiefs of the Water Tribes. We're thinking about starting some kind of army. Not for war," He added when Katara opened her mouth, "for inside attacks. Earthbending can't control all bending. Especially since we don't know who knows Bloodbending and who doesn't. It's going to be a mix of the nations, a tribute to Republic City's population."

"How long until you can get it into action?" Katara inquired

"We plan to go to the Southern Water Tribe first, then I'll take the Fire Nation while the rest of the Council gets the Earth Kingdom and the Northern Tribe. If everything goes well, in a couple months all the nations will be in agreement and we can start moving people to a base near Republic City to get ready for battle."

"Do you think Toph can hold everything down while we prepare?"

"I'm sure she can. If the gangs keep going on their path, she'll only have to deal with four gangs compared to the eight she has now."

A clang came from the backyard. All the adults stood up quickly. They angled themselves to be ready to fight.

"I'll go first. You guys can cover me." Sokka said

The other two gave nods of understanding and followed Sokka outside.

*#*

_"Tenzin, look! I think this is his sword!" Bumi exclaimed._

_He had noticed the long, gray casing of the sword. It had a very intricate design, with gold lotuses and silver swirls._

_"Bumi, I don't think you should be touching Sokka's things. Dad only wanted us to bring his things upstairs, not unpack for him." Tenzin answered_

_"Calm down Tenz, I'm only looking." Bumi said as he pulled the sword with its case out of the bag fully._

_Tenzin looked to the door worriedly and turned back to Bumi._

_"Okay, I think you done looking. Can we go now?" Tenzin said quickly_

_Bumi shushed his brother and began pulling the sword out of its case. Tenzin was spinning around and flapping his arms with worry._

_"Bumi! You stop or I tell Dad!"He finally said, blowing a gust a wind into Bumi's face._

_ Bumi stayed still with a shocked look on his face. Tenzin looked shocked as well. He looked at his hands and quickly hid them in his robes. Bumi turned to Tenzin angrily and put the sword down._

_"There! Are you happy?" Bumi said, pushing Tenzin aside as he left the room._

_"Bumi! Wait! I'm sorry!"Tenzin called out_

_"Children! Come down to help set the table!" Katara called out._

_Bumi looked to Tenzin, who looked very guilty, and softened his glare._

_"Come on, we have to go set the table." Bumi said as he wrapped his arm around Tenzin's shoulder._

_The younger of the two smiled and the older smiled as well._

_*#*_

Bumi groaned as he heard Sokka's sword hit the ground. He knew that sneaking into Sokka's room to take the sword wasn't a good idea. Maybe even more so since he didn't know that the sword felt really heavy in his hands.

He tried to wield it around like he had always seen in the terrible productions by the Ember Island Players, but he couldn't hold it up. When he tried to spin, the sword dropped to the floor.

He heard the clatter of the chairs from the kitchen and knew that his family was coming.

He grabbed the sword and put it back in the sheath. He turned around and hid it in the bushes. He grabbed one of the chimes from the meditation section and placed it on the floor quietly. He ran back to the bushes and hid, waiting for the adults to come out.

Sokka walked out first.

"_Oh great." _Bumi cursed quietly.

He had his boomerang in his hand, ready to strike. He looked around carefully, when he spotted the chime.

He stared at it for a minute before changing his glance to the bushes where Bumi was hiding. Bumi stayed still and held his breath. Sokka stared before looking down and shaking his head with a chuckle. He picked up the chime and walked back inside.

"False alarm. One of these chimes fell off from your wind chime Aang. It's what caused the clang."

Aang and Katara dropped their defensive poses and smiled.

"Look at us. All riled up for nothing." Katara laughed

"I'll go fix the chimes. Go upstairs and say goodnight to the kids." Sokka announced

Katara and Aang started to walk upstairs when Sokka stopped them.

"Oh, but could you save Bumi for me? I'd like to talk to him before we start training tomorrow."

Aang nodded and the two continued climbing up the stairs.

Sokka went outside and stayed in the center of the courtyard.

"Okay Bumi, you can come out now."

Gingerly, Bumi stepped out of the bushes with the sword. He walked slowly over to Sokka. He kept a disapointed look on his face as he walked over to his uncle.

He got on his knees and placed the sword up for Sokka to grab.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been playing with it. I should've listened to Tenzin when he tried to stop me earlier. I'll understand if you're mad at me. I disrespected you."

Sokka took the sword from his nephew's hands.

"I'm not disapointed in you and I'm not mad. Sword fighting can be an exciting art when you start to learn it. Tomorrow when we start our lesso-"

"You're still going to teach me?" Bumi said happily.

"Of course I am. I promised I would and I don't like to break promises. Anyway, when we start training tomorrow, we are going to start with the basics. I need to teach you how to control your body and work with it before you can start throwing boomerangs and wielding swords."

"So I'm not going to become a warrior in one day?"

"No one becomes a warrior in a day. Especially since you've never had a any real training. Now do you have some way to get upstairs without your parents finding out?"

"Of course! I've figured out 52 different ways to get inside my room. I suggest we take route 44, it's one of the simpler ones."

Bumi grabbed Sokka's hand and pulled him to the tower where his room was. He pushed some leaves aside to reveal a make-shift ladder, made from bamboo sticks and rope, that reached to Bumi's window.

"Wow, it feels sturdy." Sokka said as he began to climb the ladder.

"Well when everyone else is practicing, you have to find something to do." Bumi shrugged

Sokka made it into the window and pushed himself into the room. Bumi was behind him and jumped in to the room. He stuck his head outside the window and fixed the leaves to cover the ladder again.

"Go to sleep, we have a lot to go over tomorrow. Have some good dreams." Sokka said as he hugged his nephew good night.

"I will. Thanks Sokka, Good night!" Bumi said as he started to dress in his night clothes.

Sokka left the room and walked downstairs. He found Aang and Katara finishing the dishes. He walked over to them and started to sigh.

"I gotta tell you, he's special." Sokka said

Aang and Katara turned around and shared happy looks.

"We know. And now he gets to have an outlet. Thank you so much Sokka, you don't know how much this means to us." Aang said

"You're welcome." Sokka offered

They put the final dishes in the cabinet and Katara went to hug her brother. Sokka hugged her back as Aang looked over them, a sweet smile on his face.

"You want to tell me why Bumi and you weren't in his room five minutes ago?" She asked as she pulled out of the hug.

Sokka just silenced her with a bone-crushing hug.

* * *

**Author's Note: **

**Thanks so much for reading the chapter!**

**It's mainly just Sokka arriving to the island, but we get a hint about what our characters will have to face later on.**

**I hope to have the next chapter up by Friday.**

**I'm really happy today.**

**I just saw some pictures from the 'Legend of Korra' panel at Comic Com.**

**Exciting stuff for next season!**

**There were some pictures for Kya and Bumi, so I was very happy.**

**There weren't any Honora/Ursa (Zuko's daughter) pictures though, but hopefully we'll get to meet her in Books 3 or 4.**

**Thanks for all the kind reviews and ideas.**

**This story was originally going to be seven or so chapters of Bumi just learning.**

**Now I have plans for 20+ chapters with an actual plot and development.**

**Hopefully you guys all like it!**

**Thanks again,**

**-Cali-447**


	3. Small Beginnings

Chp. 3 Small Beginnings

**Hi there! Newly edited chapter, but I like it a lot better than the previous one. Sorry if you believe it changes the story for the worse.**

** Now a word of caution, there will be time jumps throughout this story. There will be small ones during this chapter, which will focus on Bumi's first week of training, but there will be a larger one from the end of this one to the beginning to the next one. Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

Day 1

The sky was a light shade of blue and gray when Sokka and Bumi started their first lesson. The sky was cloudy with the promise of a light rain to come later in the day. The forecast hadn't been clear the past couple of weeks and had no sign of letting up its confusion.

Sokka had gotten Bumi shortly after breakfast and was dragging him over to a small patch of land behind the main house of the island.

Aang had almost demanded that the island have some kind of farm to support his Vegetarian lifestyle. It had taken time to grow the land enough to be able to use for farming, but it had eventually grown to the lush, grand garden it usually was. The land had been reserved for plants and herbs, but the current winter weather discouraged any new crops.

It did, however, encourage training for two non-benders.

"So today and probably all this week, we're going to work on basics. We need to build you up just a little. You're in pretty good shape, so this part will be a little easier than the rest of it." Sokka announced

Bumi smiled at the fact that his uncle announced he was in shape.

"Now we're going to start with some stretches. Do whatever I do, it'll be real simple."

Bumi copied his uncle's movements as he brought his arms and legs closer to him as he pulled on each limb. Sokka's back cracked several times during this exercise and Bumi chuckled in response.

"I think that's enough stretching for today." Sokka said, slightly out of breath.

Bumi nodded, feeling better than he had before the stretches.

"Okay, now that we're all warmed up, I'm going to teach you basic stances. These can help you in both hand-to-hand and with weapons. Just try to imitate how I'm standing"

Sokka put his right foot forward and the left foot behind it, both shoulder-widths apart. His arms did the same. Both feet were also facing forward. Bumi did his best to replicate his uncle but stumbled backwards and landed on his behind. Bumi got up and stabilized his legs to form the stance that Sokka was holding. Sokka smiled and walked over to Bumi. He adjusted his arms and told him how to move his feet to the proper position.

"There, I pity the guy that has to mess with you that stance." Sokka said

Bumi smiled at his uncle's pride. He was one of the few people that understood how he felt and the one who was helping him through it. He felt as proud and excited as Tenzin and Kya did when they began their own lessons.

Sokka took another stance and Bumi had an easier time copying this one. He merely switched which of his feet was in front and forced the back foot into a different angle. Sokka complemented him on his pose and Bumi smiled again.

*#*

The pattern went back and forth for the next hours.

Sokka would show Bumi a stance and he would copy whatever pose his was holding. Sokka would complement the young boy and would move to the next move. As educating as it was, Bumi had gotten bored and his attention span was slipping.

In only the last past hour he had noticed that each gate held three different types of grain, there were fifteen noticeable trees surrounding them, and that Sokka's Wang Fire beard had three remaining pieces: above his lip, on the left side of his chin, and the smallest piece on his cheek.

Sokka had noticed the boy's boredom and called for a break around noon.

"This part of training is boring you, isn't it?" He asked as Bumi moved into the shade.

Bumi looked to his uncle with wandering eyes and looked away.

"Just a little. I hate repetition." He muttered

Sokka sat down next to him and put his arm around his shoulder.

"Yeah, your parents warned me about this. They said you're a bright kid who learns way too fast and uses their brain too much."

"They said that?" Bumi said, looking surprised.

He stared back at his uncle as if he could tell if he was lying.

"Yeah, they did. Right after your mother tried to wrestle answers out of me. I got to thank your father again for that."

"Answers to what?" Bumi asked

"Mainly to the reason why when they visited your room, we weren't in there."

Bumi blushed the exact same shade of red that Katara turned yesterday. He looked away from his uncle in embarrassment.

"How much trouble did they say I'm in?" He asked, worried.

"Not any. I didn't budge at all. Though if your father hadn't loosened your mother's strong grip around my wrist, you'd be sitting inside, looking over lesson plans or something."

"You would give me up for a wrist grab?" Bumi said as he feigned shock.

"Have you felt your mom's grip? I swear my life flashed through my life when she grabbed my wrist." Sokka defended.

Bumi laughed heartily and smiled at Sokka. The older man smiled back and began to ask a question.

"So what can I do to make this more exciting for you?"

"I guess you just have to challenge me. The bigger and harder, the better."

Sokka thought for a while and snapped his fingers. He ran quickly back to the house, leaving Bumi behind wondering where his uncle was going.

Sokka came back, slightly out of breath, holding two large padded gloves. Bumi eyed the objects his uncle was holding before speaking.

"What are those?" He asked

"They're punching gloves. You see, they're like a punching bag, except for closer combat. We're going to practice punches while standing in those stances I taught you."

"It's not going to hurt you is it?"

"It shouldn't, they're the ones that your mom uses to train Kya with her water whips."

"She let you borrow them?"

"Let's talk about that later. Come on, more practice." Sokka said nervously.

Bumi laughed and got up with his uncle. He stood in the first stance Sokka showed him and waited for his uncle's instruction.

"All right, first I want you to hit the glove. Then we're going to do simple patterns. Ready?"

Bumi punched the glove when Sokka nodded his head. Sokka's face took a painful turn but calmed down after a second. He shook his hand and turned back to Bumi.

"Yeah, like that. That was good; just try the tiniest bit softer."

Bumi blushed again and nodded.

"Okay now the patterns. I want you to punch with your left, punch with your right, duck, punch with your right, punch with your left, and duck. Left, right, duck, right, left, duck, do you got that?"

Bumi repeated the pattern in his head and took his stance again.

"GO!" Sokka called out.

Bumi punched and ducked when he was supposed to. Sokka called out his movements to keep a steady rhythm. Bumi missed all of Sokka's swings when he ducked and was able to keep up the stable punches.

They kept it up for fifteen minutes before Sokka fell back on the grass. Bumi took it as a hint to take a break and joined Sokka on the floor.

"That was good. That's all the training for today. Tomorrow, we'll train a couple hours before the sun goes down. It's too hot right now, even in the winter. Those hours won't be as cold."

"What are we going to work on?" Bumi inquired

"Punches, stances and maybe kicks. I haven't figured everything out yet. But we'll be working for a little less than today." Sokka said, breathing heavily.

Sokka forced himself up off the ground and held his hand out to pick Bumi up again. Bumi helped himself up and the two tired men walked back into the house.

* * *

"And then we just did patterns, like ducking and punching! I enjoyed it." Bumi relayed to his sister.

Kya was upside down on her bed as she listened to her brother ramble about his first day of training.

She was happy that he had gotten an opportunity to train. She couldn't imagine how life could be if she couldn't bend. Bending was a part of her; it was a natural as breathing. However, Bumi, who hadn't been blessed with bending, had lived without it. She took pride in her brother's perseverance and at the fact that he was getting rewarded for it now.

"Was uncle Sokka a good teacher?" She asked

"Yeah, we're only working on basics now, but I hope we move on soon." He said, flopping on the bed almost on top of Kya.

"Hey! Move off, Booms." She said pushing her brother away from her.

Bumi scooted over and lay upside down like Kya.

"I was the same way when Mom started training me. I kept bugging her to teach me how to heal or how to freeze people in ice. She told me I had to wait to build up to that. I'm glad we waited though, I learned a lot more than just healing and freezing people. And I'm sure that Tenzin is doing the same thing with Dad, just in his own respectful, snooty way."

"How'd he get to be the serious one? I kind of wanted another crazy sibling." Bumi said

"I didn't. I have enough to handle with just you. Another crazy sibling and you guys would've ended up in ice blocks every day." Kya joked

Bumi gave his sister a look and pushed her shoulder. Kya feigned offence and pushed her brother back. They started a shoving war as they laughed. Tenzin walked in as Kya grabbed a pillow and tried to throw it at Bumi. She missed as Bumi threw his own pillow, which also missed Kya. Both pillows landed on Tenzin. The ten year-old boy was pushed back by the force of the pillow and landed on the floor.

Kya and Bumi looked to each other and got off the bed. They ran over the fallen boy and helped him up.

"Tenzin, are you okay?" Kya asked

"Yes, I'm fine. Mom just told me to tell you that it's time for bed."Tenzin answered, rubbing his bald head.

Bumi waved goodnight to Kya and walked Tenzin to his room. He helped his brother out of his robes and left to his room.

Katara walked in ten minutes later to kiss him goodnight. Bumi squirmed away from his mother's kiss, but still let her do it. She turned off the lights as she walked out and Bumi went under the covers and fell asleep

* * *

Day 3

"Right! Left! Kick! Duck!"

Sokka called out demands as Bumi kept up the rhythm. He had only been hit once in the past two days of training and had managed to hit the gloves evenly and cleanly.

"Kick! Left! Duck! Right!"

Sokka started to move backward, gesturing with his head to tell Bumi to follow him. Bumi stumbled but kept the rhythm, albeit slower and less even. The older man kept checking behind him as he walked as to not trip over a branch or something. He eventually continued to walk the younger boy all over the field, still calling commands and expecting the boy to continue their exercise.

As Bumi struggled to keep up, Sokka seemed to go faster and faster, almost jogging, backwards. His punches began to lose their strength; his kicks were losing their finesse. They kept the movement for five more minutes before Sokka started running backward and Bumi fell behind.

He stopped trying to catch up to Sokka, who had tripped himself in the two minutes that Bumi had stopped.

"Hey what happened? You were doing so well." Sokka asked, as he picked himself off the ground.

"I wasn't prepared for that. Especially when you started running." He answered, running forward to catch up with his uncle.

"Okay then, let's start running."

"What?"

"You said you weren't prepared to run, so let's get you prepared to run. See that fence post," Sokka said, pointing to the stick of wood on the far Eastern side of the field, "Run to there to that pole," He said pointing to another pole of the opposite side of the field, "and then come back here. It's like a triangle path."

Bumi stared at Sokka with a dumbfounded look on his face.

"I'm serious, go take a couple of laps." He said, waving his hand toward the first pole.

Bumi looked around as Sokka kept waving his hand. He started to jog toward the pole, only getting faster as Sokka started calling out to him.

"Yep, that's it. Keep running! You're doing great."

"And then he made me run Tenz." Bumi said as his younger brother helped him into the bed.

Tenzin fetched Bumi's night robes and placed them on the bed for him to change into.

"I must've run around that field fifteen times or something."

"When did you persuade him to stop?" Tenzin asked as set up Bumi's sheets.

"When I fell over the second time, I just stayed down. My face was in the dirt and everything."

Tenzin laughed at his brother's antics. Only Bumi would let himself be covered in dirt with his dramatics. Bumi started to chuckle with him before groaning in pain.

"How sore are you?" He asked getting a water basin.

"Not very much, it's just the end of my legs. I think it's from all the running."

"Do you want me to get Mother?"

No! Whatever you do, don't get Mom. She'll have a fit about how I'm hurt and she'll make uncle Sokka stop the training." Bumi called out.

Tenzin nodded his head and turned to leave the room. As if Bumi could read his mind, he called him back.

"Tenzin, you have to promise not to tell Mother."

He stared at Tenzin with an intensity that hypnotized him. He nodded and held out his hand to shake. Bumi shook it before flopping back on his bed.

"Goodnight Tenz, thanks for the help."

"You're welcome, Bumi. May your dreams be well." Tenzin announced as he left the room.

Bumi settled into his bed even more. He liked the later hour practices because he could just head for his bed right afterward. However, with his legs quite sore and his hands slightly red from all the punching, it wasn't going to be easy falling asleep.

_Maybe I could ask Mom to come in here? _He thought carefully.

Katara would be overprotective of him. Moreover, yes, she would be mad at the fact that uncle Sokka had made her Bum-wuffles feel sore, but then she would stop everything and let him recover for the day.

"Hey Champ. How you feeling?" Sokka asked

Bumi gasped in fear at the sudden sound of a voice. He calmed down immediately after seeing that it was only his uncle standing in the doorway.

"I'm fine! I'll be ready for training tomorrow." He said, trying to hide his pain.

Sokka chuckled and sat on his bed.

"So I could do this," He said as he lay down on Bumi's legs, "and you wouldn't react."

Bumi sat up immediately at the new pressure on his legs. He looked to Sokka who was laughing.

"It's not funny." He commented

"Oh, I know. Anyway, I just wanted to say that we're not training tomorrow."

"What? Why not?" Bumi exclaimed

"One of the conditions that I'm allowed to be here with you is that I have to check up on Republic City often. I'm spending the whole day on the telephones and telegraphs, talking to the rest of the Council."

Bumi pouted and lay back down against his pillow.

"Oh, what else do you have to do?" He asked sadly.

"Eventually, I have to travel to the Southern Water Tribe and the Fire Nation. But the good news is that your parents are planning a trip to the South, so we can continue our training until I have to leave to the Fire Nation."

"I can't go with you? I've never been to the Fire Nation before!"

"You're going to need to talk to your parents about that. I have no say in that."

Bumi nodded his head and began to concoct plans to get his parents to agree. His thoughts were interrupted when Sokka spoke again.

"So, are we good?" Sokka said sitting back up.

"Almost, could you get off my legs?" Bumi asked, pointing to his sore limbs.

His uncle quickly got off them and stood up.

"Rest up, the day after tomorrow we're going to practice those punches while moving.''

Sokka started to leave the room, only stopping at the bedroom lights.

"You're doing great. I'm really proud of you." He whispered before turning off the lights.

Bumi settled himself down again and felt a smile on his face as he fell asleep.

* * *

Day 4

**C TOPH BEIFONG REPUBLIC CITY**

**UPDATE ON CRIME REPORTS NEEDED COUNCIL MEETING TODAY**

**REPLY QUICKLY **

**SOKKA**

Sokka typed the message into the telegraph. He prayed that Toph had someone there to help her with the message. Besides the telephone, it was one of the very few ways he had a chance of communicating with her. However, as Toph's desk became filled with reports she wouldn't read, the phone would get lost and it would be no use.

He arranged for the telephone to be his way to talk to the rest of the council. He was thankful that Katara had convinced Aang to allow the two communication devices on the island. He grabbed the telephone next to him and began to dial for Republic City's Phone Directory. He waited shortly before an operator had spoken up.

"Republic City Services, How may I direct your call?" The female operator asked.

"Hello, this is Councilman Sokka. I need to be directed to City Hall, Chamber of Council"

"One moment Councilman. You will be directed momentarily."

Sokka placed the phone back on the receiver. He rubbed his eyes and yawned.

This was one of the things he hated about his position of head council member. He was in charge of the Leaders of Republic City, so he had to make sure that he himself was a leader. That meant waking up earlier than the rest of the household and contacting the city.

As far as he knew, only Aang and Tenzin were up mediating in the courtyard. Katara, Kya, and Bumi were still asleep in their beds, not set to wake up for another hour or so. He yawned again as he heard the beeps of the telegraph machine announcing the arrival of a message. He turned to it and pulled the paper out.

**HC SOKKA AIR TEMPLE #1**

**AWARE OF MEETING GENIUS **

**WILL BE ATTENDING **

**REPORT WILL BE GIVEN THEN**

**TOPH**

He smiled at his friend's sarcastic answer and shook his head. Even with so little words, Toph's personality came through full-blast.

The phone rang and Sokka quickly grabbed it in order to stop the noise, not wanting to wake anyone else up.

"Hello? This is Councilman Sokka." He said into the phone

"Councilman, this is Naotuk of the Northern Water Tribe. I will handle the phone for this meeting. We are currently in the Chambers of Council. I arrived at 6:42 and was the first to arri-"

Sokka pulled the phone away from his face and sighed. Of all of the council, Naotuk was the one who was too straightforward. He was currently narrating his day and Sokka knew he had to step in before he found out what he had eaten for breakfast.

"Naotuk, who else's there?" He asked, interrupting the rambling council member.

"All of the council is here and the Chief has just walked in at this very moment. She appears to have her sergeants right behind her. She is storming into the hall and heading right toward us. She is reaching for her waist and seems to be throwing one of her metal wire right at meeee!"

Sokka heard the clang of metal against metal and the whoosh of an object flying through the air.

"Sokka, its Toph. We need to talk about the police force first before anything else." He heard suddenly

Sokka heard through the phone the arguments from the other council members.

"Chief Beifong, we have an order of dealing with issues in the hall. You cannot just storm in and demand for your issues to be taken fir-"

"My issues deal with the safety of this city, so my issues obviously come first!" Toph said, interrupting the female Fire Nation representative

"You have come in here, bossing the Chairman of the Council around, taking the phone right out of one of the councilman's hands, and you still have the audacity to command the rest of us around?!" The Air Acolyte demanded.

"Yes." Toph said simply.

Sokka laughed loudly and tried to calm himself down in order to talk into the phone.

"Hello! Can anyone hear me?" He said loudly

"Ah! You see! We still have the Chairman on the phone. He can decide what to do!" The Earth Kingdom representative called out

"Well, Sokka?" Toph said directly into the phone

Sokka thought for a minute before speaking again.

"Toph, hold the speaker out so they can all hear me." He directed.

Toph did as she was told and turned the speaker to face the council.

"Is there any issues that can be put aside for today? If the police force's issues are as important as the Chief says, then we need to move it up to one of the first issues." He announced

"Today's agenda was filled with the cost of the latest attacks around Republic City, the planning of the 25th anniversary of Republic City, and the planning of the temporarily named Republic Army." The Earth Representative read off on the papers in front of him.

Sokka nodded to himself and spoke again.

"We can put off the planning for the anniversary until next week. The rest have to deal with the police report Toph has to give us. Let her go first; we can build off whatever she says."

Toph smirked at the rest of the Council as they frowned at Sokka's statement. She got even closer to the Council's desk and placed the receiver on top of it.

"We've been questioning some of the captured gang members for the past couple of days. We've gotten some useless information, but recently one of the arrestees let slip that they're planning something. Something big, because as soon as they mentioned it, another one of the criminals came from behind trying to get him to stop talking." Toph announced as she walked back and forth in front of their desk.

"What did they say was so incriminating?" The Air Acolyte inquired

"He was mumbling, but he said, "Big Bosses are done negotiating and this city will fall with the power of their three." She said as she stopped in front of them.

The entire council stayed quiet as they contemplated Toph's words.

"Power of their three? What does that mean?" The Fire Nation representative wondered.

"We haven't been able to figure that out yet. We have our detective department searching for any connections between the gangs dealing with the number three right now." One of Toph's sergeants answered.

"Wasn't there those threats from those Bending Triads a while ago? Could that be what they are talking about?" The Earth Kingdom representative said

"That could be it, but we captured most of them already." The second of Toph's Sergeants announced

"What if they're rebuilding them?" Sokka asked loudly

"Then we need to start heading to the rest of the Nations earlier than expected. That three-month waiting period has to be moved up. How soon can we split up?" Naotuk asked.

"I can leave for the Earth Kingdom by next week, but I don't know how long it will take for me to reach Ba Sing Se and speak to the Earth King." The Earth Representative stated.

"Chan, we'll send a letter today explain our situation. We need to make sure that you're taken by the Earth King quickly." Sokka announced, "I plan on leaving for the South Pole soon as well, but I have decided to go to Kyoshi Island to try to convince some of their warriors to help train these soldiers for battles."

"And your trip to the Fire Nation? You claim to have connections to the Fire Lord himself, but yet you have delayed your journey." The Fire Nation representative said.

"Fire Lord Zuko has already scheduled a meeting with me, but as you know the Fire Nation is a lot to deal with when trying to bring back the honor and respect to a nation who spent one hundred years battling the rest of us. You of all people should know that Za Min." Sokka argued

Za Min stayed quiet at Sokka's comeback and turned away from the phone.

"Raj and I will head for the Northern Water Tribe after Chan comes back from the Earth Kingdom. We should not leave Republic City without any leadership. If the threats on Republic City are to be believed, then we need to make sure that someone is here to handle whatever happens." Naotuk stated.

"I'll keep my troops on high alert while you guys are gone. You need to get those troops here soon, though. My officers are getting tired. Some of them haven't been home properly in weeks." Toph added.

"How are we funding all the extra security around the city? What are we cutting back?" Za Min asked

"Some of my trusted officers have agreed to work with a 10% pay cut as long as they are compensated after all this is done with."

"We've entered pleas for higher prices on the city. The local bus and trolley will start charging more at the start of next week. We have also ordered a citywide alert of the coming changes. Taxes may also be increased at the start of the next month. That extra money covers the payment of the officers and the damages done to city buildings. If any more trouble comes, we may need to take extra measures such as Water Drought announcements and shorter lit work hours." Chan repeated from the papers.

Sokka rubbed his eyes in stress. He hated the fact that this city would be going through some tough times until they managed to get some sense of control over the situation.

"Toph, exactly how many officers are willing to take the pay cut?" Sokka said into the phone

"As of when I left the Station, seventeen decorated officers, that includes the three of us here, and four rookies."

"Chan, when the officers' pay cut is added, how much does it help to cover any extra costs?"

"I will have to check the math later in the day, but I believe it will help greatly when covering the unexpected costs." Chan answered

"Then I believe we've covered everything for today. Start working on sending a letter to the Earth King and making sure, we can get to the other nations quickly. Chief, send your troops home for the day. Tell them to come prepared tomorrow morning. I am sure they'll enjoy the day of rest with their families. Start planning the anniversary celebration if you'd like, but make sure not to purchase anything yet. This city does not need any unnecessary purchases." Sokka announced to the phone.

"This may be one of the shortest meetings we've ever had." Raj commented

"There's not much to talk about. We all know what we have to do. We just have to have a plan to do it. Meeting adjourned." Sokka finished

He heard the familiar sound of a gavel and the scraping of chairs signaling the leaving of the council members. He grabbed the speaker of the phone and was about to place it back on the phone when he heard a voice speak into it.

"Get those troops in here soon. I don't know how long we can take it anymore." The voice whispered before hanging up.

Sokka heard the tone of the ended phone call and knew he had to leave soon. If Toph was admitting worry, the rest of the city had to admit to worry as well.

He left his chair and left the room, too many thoughts in his head.

* * *

Day 5

Bumi knew that his uncle wasn't himself when he showed up for practice the next day. He had the look of a tired man who was carrying a rock of stress on his back. He never really realized how important his uncle was to the rest of the world until that day.

Up to that moment he had always been uncle Sokka, the funny, joking uncle who always made fun of his parents and showed his how well off a non-bender could be in this world.

Now, he just looked like a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders.

All Bumi knew was while he himself had slept until noon, he knew that Sokka had woken up earlier than usual to reach out to the leaders of Republic City.

While Bumi ran the three laps around the yard, he thought about how his uncle must have felt.

The last newspaper to come in from the coastal island near their home was now dated two months back. It told of how well the new capital was doing since the imprisonment of Yakone and how crime rates had gone down n dramatically since his arrest nearly a year ago. It also said how well Toph and Sokka were running the city and how the new Fire Nation representative on the council had big shoes to fill if she was to replace the prior representative, who had taken time off to recover from an illness of old age.

The newspaper in whole had been positive, the only negative article was a new threat they had been facing with rebellious benders.

Bumi guessed that Sokka's stress must have been coming from a different source if all was well in Republic City. After all, he told the whole family at dinner how well things were going. There wasn't any problem, right?

*#*

Sokka was not one to admit, but he was distracted. The conference call had really taken a toll on his mental well-being. He had stayed in his room most of yesterday in an attempt to figure out how well he could tell Katara and Aang that he would have to leave soon.

Nevertheless, his main concern was leaving Bumi.

The child had been left alone for much of his time and he couldn't help but feel guilty that he would have to leave him again. He knew that out of all his siblings, he was the second most rational, first being Tenzin and last belonging to Kya. He could take the news, if it was presented to him well enough.

Part of him wanted to cancel training so he could talk to the boy's parents, to tell them the news. The other half however, knew that Bumi would know the disappointment the boy would face with the canceling of the practice.

His train of thought was broken when Bumi asked a seven-word question.

"How bad are things in Republic City?"

Sokka managed to stop himself from spitting out the water he started to drink but some managed to dribble out of his mouth. He swallowed loudly and turned back to Bumi.

"What makes you think something is wrong over there?" He asked

"You're distracted. I can tell, my dad is always saying that I got that part from my mom. Yesterday was your big meeting with the people in charge of Republic City right. Did something happen?"

Sokka looked away from his nephew and chuckled.

_Yes, Katara's in there too. _

He turned his attention back to Bumi, who was staring at him in worry.

"The city's just going through tough times right now. These gangs of people have tried putting the people of Republic City in danger and we're having some trouble trying to control what they're doing.

"And that's all? Nobody's dying or a million fires aren't burning down the city?"

Sokka chuckled at his nephew's thoughts of danger.

"No, none of that. Trust me, if any of that did start happening, aunt Toph would smack down on them like the mighty hand of La."

"Then why do you look so worried? If everything is so fine, why do you act like the world is going to end?"

"Bumi," Sokka started slowly, "I know that you know that Republic City needs its leaders, and leaders have responsibilities that need to be addressed quickly. Can I tell you a secret?"

Bumi's eyes opened with excitement and he nodded eagerly.

"We are going to build a force to protect the city using people of every nation. To do that, each of the council members is leaving Republic City to go and talk to the leaders of each nation to try to persuade them to support this team. I have to leave to the Southern Water Tribe and later the Fire Nation to get the help."

"So you're leaving." Bumi said, the eagerness dropping from his face.

"Not yet, I still have a month or so, but after that time is up I have to get going."

"What about my training? Is that going to stop too?"

"Your parents plan to go to the Southern Water Tribe with me, but come time to leave for the Fire Nation, it'll be a break while we settle everything over at the capital."

"So my parents already know about you leaving?" Bumi said fuming.

"Yes, but Bumi neither of us thought I was going to leave so soon. I just wanted to teach you what-"

"Just go already then!" He said angrily before taking off in the direction of the house.

Sokka ran after him quickly but only caught up to him as he reached the house.

"Bumi, I was just trying to help." Sokka called out

Bumi turned around and outstretched his arms.

"Everyone always tries to help! But they just end up ruining it!" The younger boy called out to his elder.

"What is going on here? Why is everyone yelling?" Katara asked as she reached the two men.

Their explanations of what had just occurred were overlapping and confusing. Katara huffed in annoyance before bending two gags to cover the two's mouths.

"Okay, I'm going to ask you guys one at a time. Bumi, go upstairs and wait. I think Tenzin's done with his training, maybe you can go ask him if he wants to play." Katara offered.

Bumi's red face slowly faded to a light pink. He bowed to his mother and quickly to his uncle before heading inside. As they saw that he rounded the corner of the house, Katara turned back to Sokka.

"What happened? I haven't seen Bumi like that since Aang and Tenzin accidentally broke his model boat during practice."

"I told him about how I had to leave soon. Katara, my deadline's been pushed up. I only have a month here before I leave for the Southern Water Tribe."

"And I'm guessing he didn't take it well." Katara answered as she looked back to where Bumi ran up the stairs.

"Not at all. I'm utterly stuck on how to talk to him."

"Let me go handle this, then you can go in. It won't be long."

"Katara, before you go, you don't mind moving your trip to the Southern Water Tribe up do you?"

"Aang and I will follow you whenever you go. My only concern is that I planned to be home for Bumi and Kya's birthdays. His is next month and Kya's is only a week or two after."

Sokka sighed loudly and left to go mope on the couch while Katara walked upstairs.

She reached her older son's room and knocked on the door three times before opening it and closing the door behind her.

"Mom, I don't need to talk right now." He complained to his mother.

"Fine then, don't talk, but you still have to listen. One, that was complete disrespect to your uncle, He didn't try to hurt you or insult you. He is here for you and you only. The fact that the rest of us are all here is just a bonus for him. You didn't have any right to yell at him. Whether you listen to reason and me or prefer to mope around, you are going to apologize. He is an adult whether he acts like it or you treat him like one. He deserves respect. Do you hear me?"

Bumi nodded his head against his pillow as he lay face down on the mattress. He waved his sandal-clad foot to tell his mother to continue and so she did.

"Next, we didn't tell you he was leaving because, quite honestly, our first concern with his leaving was the reason he going to leave rather than how you and your siblings would react. I know you and Kya are aware of how important your father and Sokka are to the world. Republic City needs the man in charge of it and that man just happens to be Sokka."

"I would've just liked to know beforehand." Bumi finally said, lifting his head to look at his mother.

"Sometimes adults have things that they can't tell their children. We all have to learn it the hard way."

Bumi sighed loudly and smashed his head in the pillow.

"Why is it so hard to be a child?! I'm almost thirteen and it still counts for nothing."

"When you're older, you'll understand. But for now, let's deal with the problem at hand. Your uncle's waiting outside to talk to you. You need to apologize and be respectful. Do you understand me?"

Bumi looked up from the pillow to his mother and nodded his head.

"I love you, Bumi. I really do, and your uncle loves you just as much."

Katara kissed his head and opened the door for her to leave.

*#*

There were two knocks on the door about ten minutes after his mother left.

"Can I come in?" Sokka asked quietly

Bumi nodded his head and gestured toward the chair at his desk.

They both sat there quietly, not saying a word or sparing a glance at each other. Bumi was the first to speak.

"I'm sorry; I didn't have any right to yell at you." He said quietly

"In a way you did. I know that you were just angry, I would be too. It wasn't my choice to leave so soon."

"I know that now. It's just that I'm so used to people leaving me behind, that when you came, I was so happy to have someone for me."

"Bumi," Sokka started, "You have people here for you. I don't understand why you can't see that. Kya and Tenzin love you more than anything else in this world. You absolutely know your parents you give their lives if it meant that all three of you stayed safe. Everyone feels and is ignored every once in a while, but that doesn't mean that someone's abandoning you."

"You're right." Bumi responded after a short pause, "I guess I have been acting a little dramatic, but that's just me. Tenzin and Kya say that with my exaggerations, I should go into the Ember Island Players. I'd be a great Zuko."

Sokka laughed and turned his attention back to Bumi.

"Don't go around play Zuko, please don't. You can do much better. At least a Katara for all the drama you cause."

Bumi laughed loudly and Sokka felt no other choice but to join in.

"I guess you don't want me to tell my mom about that."

"Oh dear La, don't. She'll kill me."

Bumi giggled and turned his expression serious.

"You have to leave, don't you?"

Sokka's face softened into a sad smile.

"Yeah, I do buddy. Republic City still needs my help."

"I'm gonna miss you when you leave."

"I'm going to miss you too. But we still have a month." Sokka offered encouragingly

"What can I learn in a month?"

"I think we can get started on my Water Tribe weapons: Clubs, spears, boomerangs…"

"Boomerangs?! Can we start with that one?"

"We need to work your way up. But if you work hard, I'm sure we can get it started before I leave."

"I'll promise to practice every day, even when you still have to work on something else."

"Deal, I'll even let you use my boomerang when the time comes."

Bumi nodded his head and stood up, holding out his hand.

"What are we doing?" Sokka asked as he took his and stood up.

"First, we're going to go watch the sunset from the best spot on the island." Bumi said as he ran ahead to the house.

Sokka followed him, trailing behind the fast running boy. He certainly got that quality from Aang.

Bumi led him to the ladder that went to his bedroom.

"See this ladder," he said pointing to the ladder, "it connects to this ladder right here."

Bumi brushed aside the leaves covering the extra ladder. He fitted the two ladders together and gestured Sokka to start climbing.

"You'll reach the roof soon! I'm going to go get something! I'll be right back!" Bumi called out as he went inside the house.

"Wait! You're just going to leave me here?"

"Just keep going! You're doing fine!"

Sokka shrugged and continued climbing up to the roof.

He reached the roof quite quickly but saw that both Kya and Katara were already up there.

"Hey! When did you get here?" He said as he went to hug his sister.

"Bumi said that we should all watch the sunset together. He and the rest of the boys are preparing some snacks to bring up here. Aang flew us up here."

Then I guess we should get some sort of a seating arrangement and- whoa."

Sokka stopped as he saw the sights from the top of the house.

The fields looked as though the wind was conducting their movements. The animals that lived on the island were scattered around as if they were living in harmony. The sunset had astounded him. The colors of the sunset had started to mix and the deep blues were moving to cover the rest of the sky.

"Whoa is right. One day, the kids got so mad at us because we did not let them go play with Lin while she and Toph were on the island. They hid from us up here. Tenzin managed to get both of them up here with his Airbending. Aang and I went crazy looking for them. When we finally found them, Lin and Toph were up here with them. Toph had found them quickly and just invited herself up here. We spent the rest of the day up here."

"Why didn't you guys let them play with Lin?"

"Half of the time she was training, the other half she was trying to stop crying. It was right when he died. We thought it would be better for her to settle down with Toph, but we should have just given her to the kids. It did her good, having someone her own age to play with."

"Oh." Was all Sokka answered.

"We brought crackers and the spicy seaweed dip!" Aang announced, with Bumi wrapped under his arm.

"Yes! I love the seaweed dip!" Kya announced, running forward to help Tenzin set up the snacks.

The family each grabbed a bowl of chips and set the bowl of dip in the middle of their makeshift seats. They all turned to the setting sun, with the sky around it almost completely dark with night.

"Look! It's a full moon tonight! It's beautiful." Kya crooned

They all looked up to the grand sky and saw that the moon was already coming out.

"It sure is." Sokka said quietly, looking back to the sunset.

The last gleam of the sun disappeared behind the horizon and the light of the full moon started to shine brightly to contrast the dark of night.

Sokka turned around after watching the light disappear to find that Kya, Bumi, and Tenzin were lying sown with their backs to the ground staring up to the sky.

"Do you ever look to the stars and wonder what they are? Are they spirits or magic or something?" Kya wondered.

"Truthfully, some astronomers have decided that stars are actually-"

"Uncle Sokka, will you let me have my moments? I just want to know if these stars the same ones that Lin and Aunt Toph are watching. Or how about Uncle Zuko and his family? Are we all connected by these stars?"

Sokka chuckled at his niece's comments. He could swear that she was more spiritual and connected with nature than Tenzin sometimes.

"Hey mom, how were the stars back in the South Pole?" Bumi asked

Katara curled up into Aang even more and thought for a moment.

"They may be just a little turned around, but they looked just like they do here. Maybe here, they're a little brighter because all of you are here." She said quietly.

"I haven't thought about the South Pole in the longest. Huang was always talking about his Earth Kingdom heritage. I'm so glad I broke up with him." Kya stated

"Weren't you dating him three days ago?" Tenzin asked

"Tenz, get with the times. He was such a drag. I broke up with him that day we went out."

Tenzin rolled his eyes at his sister and turned his attention back to the stars.

They stayed there for most of the night, only leaving the roof after Tenzin had fallen asleep and Katara announcing that it was too cold to sleep out on the roof. They settled into their rooms and quickly fell asleep, with dreams of their upcoming trip on their minds.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Thank you for reading this chapter.**

**Newly edited into something that I am much more proud to have written. **

**Changing Bumi's reaction is going to help the story move along better.**

**So we got a look inside the problems inside Republic City, saw Bumi learn basic fighting moves, and a really cheesy 'Watching the sunset/stars ending.'**

**In addition, before we leave, I want to let you people know the title of the next chapter.**

**I am sure most of you people will get the reference!**

**Be on the lookout for the next chapter (soon to be edited):**

**~It Always Comes Back~**

**Thanks again for reading!**

**Perfectly-Imperfect-447**


	4. It Always Comes Back Pt 1

**Hello Again!**

**Life caught up to me and I didn't finish the chapter on time. The month I've been gone has been filled with weddings, band practice, football games, performances, AP homework, and yearbook planning.**

**This chapter takes place three weeks after the last one.**

**I've decided that while most of this story will focus on Bumi, the entire story is not going to focus on him. You'll see more of the other characters, which is why I've named Kya as one of the main characters. She'll have her big storyline in later chapters, but you'll get a hint in this chapter.**

* * *

To say that Bumi hadn't leaned anything from his training with Sokka would be the understatement of the year. The boy was now almost fourteen years old and much stronger than he was a month ago before any training. Turns out that all the running, punching and kicking would help build muscle for the boy.

He was also starting to learn more about his Water Tribe heritage with each new weapon Sokka brought to the different lessons.

The children were brought up with the basics of Air Nomad beliefs; however, Katara insisted that the children be able to decide their own beliefs as they grew up. This is why they still ate Water Tribe food at the dinner table and why Kya and Bumi were racing to finish their meals.

Kya scooped the last of her rice into her mouth and smiled triumphantly at Bumi, who still had a small pile of noodles.

"Ha! I told you I could beat you! Now you have to do my chores for the rest of the week AND show me how to throw a boomerang!"Kya stated happily.

Bumi slumped to the end of his chair and pouted. Katara and Tenzin rolled their eyes at the older children's antics. Aang however, was handing money to Sokka and giving thumbs up to Kya.

"You bet against me uncle Sokka?" Bumi exclaimed, outraged

"Bumi, there are pieces of all your family members in all of you. Tenzin got the caring, straightforward demeanor from your mother. You got your fun, free-spirited lifestyle from your dad. But Kya got my lady-killerness and my stomach. It was merely an investment."

"Yup, and now I get to join you on your boomerang lessons." Kya said proudly

Bumi stuck out his tongue at Kya, who returned it with one of her own.

"Cheer up Bumi! I bet on you!" Aang said patting his older son's back.

"Yeah, but you're my dad. You're supposed to bet on me!"

"He's my dad too, you know! I want to know why you bet on him!" Kya said

"I thought that by all the races you guys have had, Bumi would have won own by now. You nearly lost last time, so I figured it was Bumi's time to shine."

"Well it doesn't matter who won because someone still had to clean up my table." Katara said, pointing to the mess of rice and noodles on around the table.

"I vote Bumi and Aang! They lost the bet." Sokka stated

"I second that!" Kya chimed

"No, if anything you guys should. I have to clean for the rest of the week, this is the least you could do." Bumi argued

"Fine, winners clean noodles, losers clean rice. Everyone helps that way!" Aang stated

"Tenzin, come help with the dishes, please." Katara said, collecting the dishes.

"Yes, mother." He said following his mother into the kitchen.

"Hey when we're done, we'll go outside to do stretching and I'll help you guys with the boomerang." Sokka said as he picked up a limp noodle off the table.

"Great! You should hear some of uncle Sokka's stories, Kya. I'm learning so much about the South Pole just listening." Bumi said, forgetting any anger at his sister.

"I will, I need to start learning about this kind of stuff. Maybe then, mom will start treating me like an adult, not just like a regular teenager." She said, handing Sokka the napkin where she was putting her picked-up noodles.

"Your mom just wants what's best for you. You're her first-born, she feels like protecting you. What can you do as an adult that you can't do now?" Aang asked

"Go out whenever I want and get back whenever I want."

"With that new boyfriend of yours, that's not going to happen anytime soon." Sokka said laughing.

"Romi is a perfectly fine boy."

"With fake dragon tattoos up and down his arms." Bumi finished

"Hey, what's wrong with tattoos?" Aang said

*#*

"One of my favorite parts of being part of Team Avatar back in the day was the shopping. Turns out that the Fire Nation makes some very good metals and I took it upon myself to form my second boomerang out of those metals."

"Wait, second boomerang? What happened to the first one?" Kya wondered

"It's a long story, but I'll tell you this. I am so glad that your Aunt Toph invented metal bending. It may be the reason I lost the first one, but it's also the reason I found it again."

"Where did you get the first one?" Bum asked

"My dad gave it to me when I as younger. I've always tried to keep it safe and I'm proud to say that I've only lost it two times."

"Can I see the other one?" Kya said reaching over to Sokka.

He nodded and went to his bag and pulled the two boomerangs out. Right away you could see difference in the boomerangs. One was a light blue, with age showing on it. The other was a bright red, with no signs of usage or tear.

"How old is this one? Kya said grabbing the smaller red one.

"It's as old as Republic City, but I haven't had to use it for anything really."

"It looks really new. Can I use it?" Bumi asked

"Both of you guys will use it. I'll teach you how to use them first and then you guys can practice with it. Now the first thing we have to know about the boomerang is-"

"Kya! Someone is here to see you!" Katara called out

Kya turned around to face her mother and nodded.

"I'll be right back, go on without me!" She said as she ran ahead to the house

Bumi and Sokka turned back to the lesson as Kya disappeared.

"So like I was saying, the first thing we have to know about learning how to throw a boomerang is we have to have an open space where no one is going to get hurt. We'll just work on throwing it right now and then on aiming. Get that rock over there and put it right here." Sokka stated

Bumi ran to the rock that Sokka gestured to and picked it up, placing it where Sokka's hand was now pointing to.

"This is going to be our starting position. We are going to throw from here every time so we can track the progress we make while we learn. You with me so far?"

"Yeah, I get ya. But what does this have to do with throwing a boomerang?"

"Well it's no use throwing one if you can't aim it. Are you right handed or left handed?"

"I'm right handed." Bumi said proudly.

"Then it'll be easier to teach you. Is Kya right handed too?"

"No, I think she's left handed. We can ask when we get back."

"She probably won't be back for a while. Whoever came to see her is probably going to take up all her attention."

Bumi nodded and turned his attention to the rock at his feet.

"Let's start. Since this is your first lesson I'm going to make you crouch down after you throw. See when I throw my boomerang; it has to come back to me right?"

"I think that is the purpose of a boomerang."

"Then when it comes back, it should land it my hand. But what happens when we can't catch it?"

"It hits you?" Bumi tried

"It hits us. And since this red one is metal, there's a chance it could cut you. And if that ever happened, your parents would have my behind on a platter, Avatar and Master Waterbender style. That is why we have to defend ourselves from runaway boomerangs."

"What makes you think I'll mess up?"

"Boomerang throwing is an ancient art. It takes time to master. Even I took months to get it to come back on time. You have it easy; I had to look for a lost boomerang in the SNOW. You get to look for it in a field, with grass, and the _bright_ red boomerang that won't blend in with it."

"Hey, it's starting to snow already. They say in a couple of weeks, this field is going to be filled with snow. Then I won't have it 'easy."

"Hmm, you have me there. Now let me teach you how to throw a boomerang." Sokka said taking a stance.

He got his boomerang, positioned it in his hand and threw it. It flew forward about ten feet and turned around heading back to Sokka. He caught it easily with years of practice behind of him. Bumi was still entranced by the majesty of the floating boomerang.

Bumi turned his head to Sokka and started to jump up and down.

"Come on! Show me how to do that!" He yelled excitedly.

"Just wait a minute; I think Kya is coming back." Sokka said, looking behind him

Kya's slim figure was slowly making its way over to the two men. She looked down and kept her face away from view.

"Uncle Sokka, I'm going to have to take a rain check for this lesson. I'm just not in the mood for it anymore. Thanks though, I'm gonna go back to the house. Good luck Bumi." She said quietly

She turned around without another word and walked back to the house.

Sokka stared at his niece with a sad look on his face. He looked to Bumi, who gave his a quick look then shrugged.

"I wonder what happened." Sokka commented

"She just broke up with her boyfriend." Bumi said nonchalantly, picking up the red boomerang and pretending to throw it.

"She was here for three minutes. How can you get that idea?" Sokka said looking back at Bumi

"Kya is a girl and all girls tend to have weird habits. Every time Kya has a boyfriend for more than a week, she starts taking special care of her hair. She's had it in braids for the past week, when she came here right now, it was unbraided and behind her ear."

"You seem to know a lot about Kya's habits. How many boyfriends has she had?"

"Well, mom and dad said she was allowed to start dating when she was fifteen and she'll be seventeen in about month, she got her first boyfriend two months after she turned fifteen and her longest record is two and a half months with a three week wait period between boys and-"

"Okay! I think we conclude that she's gone through her fair share of boys. Let's get back to the weapon lesson shall we?"

Sokka started walking forward to the marking rock, but Bumi stayed still making sure Kya got back in the house safe.

*#*

Kya walked into the house behind her mother. She looked in from of her to see Romi standing awkwardly in the living room.

"Romi! What are you doing here?" Kya said, rushing to the boy.

"I'll leave you two alone for a minute." Katara said, looking at the tattooed boy warily.

Katara left the room sending Romi a glare and a 'watching you' gesture with her hands. He looked at her with wide eyes and she slipped out of the room.

"Tell me! What are you doing here?" Kya exclaimed

"I came because I need to tell you that I want to break up." Romi said, not looking at Kya's face.

Kya pulled away from the boy with a confused look on her face.

"What did you say?" She whispered dangerously

"I want to break up. I've heard all of the rumors about you. They say that you act like some floozy and that you'll cheat on me."

"I've never cheated on anyone! How dare you?" She retorted

"Yeah right, that's why you've had how many boyfriends before me?"

"That's none of your concern! I'm with you right now! I've never two-timed any body; I've respected every boy I've ever dated. Who said these things about me?"

"Some friends, they tell me that you've cheated on Lee with Jio and so on. So I got the best of you, I've been seeing Ta-Lin behind your back."

Kya looked shocked as she stared at Romi. A rampage of thoughts ran through her mind as she pushed Romi back.

"So the past two weeks have been a lie? It was all some plot to make me look foolish? Does Ty Lin know about this or did you confidently leave it out?" She replied.

Her eyes flashed a dangerous color of dark blue. Romi stepped back in fear of Kya's anger.

"Yes?" He quivered his voice cracking.

Get out of my house." She whispered quietly, looking away from the boy.

"What?" He said, not hearing what she said.

"I said, Get out of my house. You said you wanted to break up and now we are. I never want to see you again. You've acted so rude to me and my family and I defended you because I thought I liked you. But now I just see that you're just some horrible jerk who thinks cheating on a girl is a proper way to ''get back at her' even though she hasn't done anything to deserve it. I don't want you near me or my family or else I'll tell my father what you did and he's not the most agreeable person when he's angry. If you don't remember, he's the Avatar; he'll kick your butt into the Spirit World. I'm letting you leave with whatever dignity you have. Now if you please, get the monkey feathers out of my house." She said calmly, speaking with waving tones behind her voice.

Romi stayed there awkwardly, his body frozen with confusion.

"LEAVE!" Kya finally said after he didn't move.

He jumped five feet in the air and came back down. He had a thoughtful look on his face before he walked up to Kya and bowed.

"I'm sorry for being a jerk. I shouldn't have listened to my friends, we're all idiots anyway."

"Don't blame your friends for something you did." She clipped, folding her arms across her chest.

"I guess so. Sorry again, maybe we can be friends?"

"Huh, jerky AND dumb. I wouldn't be friends with you because of what you did. If you had just told me what your friends had said when they said it, maybe then we could be friends."

Kya stood in the same spot for three minutes after Romi left before falling to the floor and crying. She was so frustrated and angry and her tears weren't coming quick enough to help her. She took off her shoes and threw them across the floor, letting her sit cross-legged on the floor. She reached over to untie her ponytail but only manage to tangle it up in her hair. She groaned annoyed and just covered her face with her hands.

Katara walked out from behind the wall separating the living room and the next hallway. She slowly made her way over to Kya and sat behind her on her knees. She took her tangled hair into her own hands and began to untangle the ribbon from her hair. Kya shivered a little when she felt her mother's cool hands reach behind her to grab her hair.

"Go ahead. Tell me how he was a horrible person and how I have a horrible taste in boys."

"I'm not going to do that. It'll make you feel worse." Katara said as she pulled the ribbon out of her hair.

She handed Kya the ribbon and grabbed a comb off of a table. She gave it to Kya as well and the younger waterbender began to comb through the tangles.

"I thought he was actually a decent person. Maybe he was some hidden sweet guy with a rough edge." Kya started, "But he wasn't. I was wrong." She said as she started to cry.

"Kya, you shouldn't cry over him. If he truly cared about you, he would show it. He was the one who believe all those things."

"I know I shouldn't, I know I shouldn't care, but I just can't stop thinking that someone would be so cruel! Would he really do that because of what they said? Do I give off that certain reputation? "

Kya stood up and walked over to the couch where she face-planted into it. Katara walked over to her daughter and started to choose her words carefully.

"You're very passionate. I see it when you train or when you sing or when you play around with your brothers. When you get into it, you get into it. But you also have a tendency to drop it like a steaming hot seaweed stew." Katara commented.

She sat next to Kya's body and rubbed her daughter's back. Kya was playing with her hair, taking her simple braids apart.

"People who watch from the outside, they don't know you. They don't see the wonderful, beautiful, passionate person that you are."

Kya sat up and curled into her mother's chest. Katara wrapped her arms around her daughter and rocked her back and forth.

"Thank you. I needed that support right now. I'm done with boys."

Katara turned to her daughter's head in confusion.

"What did you just say?"

"I'm done! I've dated a lot of boys this year and I think I need a break. I was so focused on finding a perfect boy without realizing I might not find him anytime soon. I'll take a year to find out what I really like, and then I don't have to go through all this 'trial and error' business. I need a break from this island too. How long until we leave for the South Pole?"

"Sokka leaves in the next two weeks and we leave the week after that so we get to the South Pole around the same time."

"Then it all works out." Kya declared standing up, "I have to go talk to uncle Sokka. I don't feel like learning how to throw a boomerang now." She explained as she tied her hair back up in her usual messy ponytail.

"When you come back, we can talk a little more. I can see that you're not alright yet."

Kya looked to her mother and smiled.

"I'd like that."

She shook herself and walked outside where she was surrounded by the winter's cold immediately. Her throat burned when it breathed in the cool air. She wrapped her arms around her shoulders and walked across the field, keeping her head down to avoid the cold wind.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Aaaaand that's all I have right now.**

**I know what you are thinking, it took me two months to write that?**

**No.**

**I wrote that AND more during the two weeks I promised I would be back.**

**I just didn't like the rest of it.**

**It started seeming repetitive to me and I couldn't work on it anymore.**

**So, three and 1/2 chapters in, I'm rewriting chapters 2 and 3.**

**I'm changing dates and events and a lot of stuff just so it feels more like the "Bumi's Master" I set out to write.**

**I'll be back, I won't take two months, but I'll be back.**

**This is just part one!**

**The reason I have to change the story now is because all the stuff I planned for the next chapters won't work with what I have now.**

**I'll Leave you with sneak previews of coming chapters that I wrote instead of working on this chapter.**

**Thank you for reading!**

**-Perfectly-Imperfect-447**

* * *

_She glanced around, seeing only tents, igloos, and people. Lots of people._

_The South Pole was new to her, even though she had been here before. Her parents had brought each of their children to show them to Katara's family. The last time they were here was to introduce Tenzin and to mourn Gran-Gran, who had passed away quietly in her sleep._

_"Excuse me? Are you okay? You look a little lost."_

_Kya turned to where the voice came from. She saw that the voice belonged to a young man._

_He was tall and tan, mildly built, with dark black hair and the brightest blue eyes Kya had ever seen. She had stared at him for a minute before finding her voice._

* * *

**"You know you remind me of some of those Earth Kingdom girls."**

**"How unfortunate."**

**"Why are you acting this way? Did I do something to you that I'm not aware of?"**

**"You came to my home with your attitude. I was raised to tolerate many things in my training to become Fire Lord later, but I was taught to never take any attitude by the likes of you."**

**"Then why don't I apologize? I'll let you punch me."**

**"Ha! You couldn't handle some of my punches."**

**"I'm sure I could handle a few of the pampered Fire Princess's punch-"**

**Bumi didn't get to finish his sentence as a dagger flew at his head and stuck itself in a tree five feet behind Bumi. Bumi stared at the dagger with frightened eyes. He turned back to Honora, who was holding an identical one in her hand.**

**"You missed." He said after a heavy swallow.**


	5. It Always Comes Back Pt 2

**Read the chapter and complain about my lack of updating skills later.**

* * *

Bumi was getting frustrated.

He had been trying to get the boomerang to come back to him for the past hour with no avail. He tried to remember what Sokka had told him the night before about stances and arm angles, but all he got was a boomerang that didn't seem to like him and stayed as far away from him as possible.

He hoped in his head that Sokka would finish his meeting with the council soon so he could come help Bumi with the boomerang.

He ran and grabbed the fallen boomerang from the ground and walked over to the rock. He took his stance and positioned his arm as he had been taught. He flung the boomerang and watched as it soared through the air, landing ten feet in front of him.

He groaned as the light wind blew his brown hair around his face. He slumped as he took the walk of shame to get the boomerang off the ground again.

"I think it would help if you tucked in your elbow!" A voice called out behind him

Bumi turned excitedly, expecting to see Sokka standing behind him. He was surprised to see that Kya and Tenzin were standing behind him, smiling. Kya's hands were still around her mouth as she used them to expand her voice.

"What are you guys doing here?" He asked walking over to them.

"I got bored. Father and Mother are out shopping, so there isn't any training today. Kya suggested that we go see what you were doing." Tenzin answered.

"Yup, and I think I want a shot at that boomerang!" Kya announced as she ran forward and held out her hand for the boomerang.

Bumi gave his older sibling the boomerang and brought her over to the rock.

"What's that for?" Tenzin asked, pointing to the rock.

"Uncle Sokka says it's so we can track our progress.

"How much progress have you made so far?"

"Not much, I can't even get the dumb boomerang to come back to me."

"Eagerness is the enemy of progress. You must have a calm mind to complete your goals." Tenzin stated

"What does that mean?" Bumi said, dumbfounded.

"It means you got to calm down and let me play with the boomerang." Kya said, taking a stance.

"Now how do you throw this thing?"

Bumi helped his sister with the proper hand placements and helped her throw the first shot. It flew and turned slightly before falling short.

"Well that worked." Kya said sarcastically as she picked it up.

"If it makes you feel any better, I can't get it either."

"Didn't you get all the other Water Tribe weapons? I saw you training with that bone club; you were a natural." Tenzin added

"Uncle Sokka said that it took him a long time to master the boomerang, who knows how long I'll take?"

"Can I try?" Tenzin offered meekly

Kya and Bumi shared a smile as they helped their younger brother. Kya took care of his stance as Bumi helped his sibling again with their hand movements. They stepped back as Tenzin flicked his wrist and sent the boomerang off into the air. Their mouths dropped open and their eyes widened as they saw that Tenzin caught the boomerang. Kya let out a cheer and ran forward to Tenzin, capturing him in a hug. Bumi walked over to him with his mouth still open.

"How did you do that?" Bumi exclaimed happily, patting his brother on the back.

"I may or may not have used Airbending. I can't tell sometimes, but I felt the boomerang come back to me." Tenzin said sheepishly

"Airbending or not, you caught it! You can't catch a kuai ball, but you caught a small metal boomerang!" Kya announced.

"Yeah, about that metal part." Tenzin started as he took the boomerang in his other hand. He moved his robe's sleeve to reveal a cut on his hand where he had caught a boomerang.

Bumi backed away at the sight of blood, but Kya sprung forward taking out her water pouch.

"Mom did tell me to practice while I was gone, but I really doubt this is what she meant." Kya tried joking as she bent a small amount of water from the pouch and wrapped it around Tenzin's hand. She breathed slowly and the water began to glow as it healed the small cut.

Tenzin groaned a tiny bit but relaxed as soon as Kya took the water away, leaving only a small scar.

"Thanks Kya." Tenzin said rubbing his hand.

"You're welcome." She said with a smile, "You okay there Bumi?" She asked as she saw her brother bending over.

"Yep, just can't really stand blood. I'll be fine." He answered heavily

"Let's get you inside before one of you passes out. The noon sun won't help either of you." Kya replied, grabbing the boomerang from Tenzin and hurrying to the two boys inside the house.

* * *

"I already told you I would leave by the end of next week." Sokka repeated into the phone

"And we told you that you would have to leave sooner. Chan is being held up by the Earth King's schedule and that will delay Raj and Naotuk's trip to the Northern Tribe. Can't you leave this week? The sooner you can talk to those Kyoshi Warriors and the Chief of the Southern Tribe, the sooner we can control more of the situation here!" Za Lin answered.

"Do you intend on repeating that line for this entire call? I still have business here on this island and I intend on finishing it."

"Councilman, while duties to family should be held above many, your duty to Republic City must come before all of it. Your training of your nephew can wait the two months of your trip, I'm afraid the trouble in Republic City cannot." Raj said solemnly

"There have been various attacks on the banks and stores of the city since our last meeting. No deaths, but we have received threats from various gang leaders. They claim a full blown attack on the city will happen if we do not deliver their demands of money and protection." Naotuk continued

"I don't believe their threats, but our Esteemed Chief of Police thinks differently." Za Lin retorted, "She has checked out all known Triad hideouts and re-interrogated all prisoners for any new information. It has amounted to nothing."

"Careful Za Lin, the Police Chief is not one to be trifled with." Raj warned dangerously

Sokka rubbed his temples in annoyance but spoke into the phone again.

"I'll head out at the end of the week. Anymore news that we have to deal with today?"

"No sir, we've already gone through budgets, crime reports, and the planning of the anniversary." Raj listed

"Then I must go pack. Meeting Adjourned." Sokka announced solemnly

He did not wait for the sound of the gavel to hit before hanging up the phone. He placed it back on the usual side of the desk and left the room.

* * *

"It's nice to get out of the house sometimes, isn't it?" Katara asked Aang as they strolled around the city's marketplace.

"It is. Although," Aang answered, looking at all the shocked faces, "you never get used to all the stares."

It was quite rare when the Avatar visited the mainland. Usually tucked away in his private island, the city-folk always took the chance to catch a glance or report the news.

Aang did not mind the gossip; he just minded the sudden traffic on the street it caused. Stores either opened or closed depending on the latest of his work. Prices were either raised or dropped when he passed by them. Overall, the streets just got louder.

"TEN SILVER PIECES FOR TEN FISH!"

"THE FINEST COTTON OF ALL THE NATIONS!"

YOU WANT ANTIQUES. WE GOT THEM!"

"EARTH NATION, WATER NATION, AIR NATION, FIRE NATION, COME ON BY! WE GOT SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE!"

When Aang and Katara chose to make their home away from Republic City or any other nations, they knew it would come with a cost. The stares never did get any easier.

"Oh dear, I think it's about time to get home. Soon they'll start trying to sell "authentic" Bending scroll we already have." Katara said, noticing that the street suddenly got narrower as they passed.

"Calm down, sweetie. We'll just get the ingredients for dinner and the cloth Kya asked for and we'll be back within the hour."

"Fine, but let's do it quickly. I feel like everybody's getting ready to jump us."

"Like you wouldn't be able to handle yourself." Aang joked

"Well, I wouldn't want to do it in a marketplace. I don't think we can afford the collateral damage."

"I think they'd excuse the Avatar for destroying their property. They might think it's an honor."

"Speaking of honor, have you talked to Zuko at all recently?"

* * *

Kya carefully wrapped Tenzin's hand in a thick white cloth while Bumi watched from afar.

Kya chuckled at Bumi's pale face. However tough or fearless the boy tried to appear, Kya knew of his inability to stand up to blood.

She also knew that would hurt him in the future if he were to become a warrior.

"And there, all wrapped up!" She happily announced to Tenzin as she finished trying of the cloth, "Just tell me if it bleeds through so we can change it before Mom and Dad come home."

"Thank You Kya. I don't know what I would do without you."

"Probably bleed to death. I like to think that the reason you guys even made it this far was because of me."

"I highly doubt that, I would've survived without you."

"Yeah, after you killed Tenzin by accident." Kya joked

"Hey, why do I have to die?" Tenzin asked

"Because if it wasn't for me, Bumi would have dropped you very early on. He didn't really get the concept that you were an actual living, breathing thing as opposed to one of my baby dolls he would 'fight'."

"Hey! He was very small for a baby. You know that as a one-year old, I wasn't the brightest one of all."

"You're not very bright now." Kya laughed

"Unnecessary!" Bumi called out to her

"Whatever, so what now? Mom and Dad are out of town and I think Uncle is still doing his phone conference thing." Kya asked

"How about a game of Pai Sho? We still have our tournament to finish, Bumi." Tenzin offered

"That sounds good; I'll help you bring down the board and the pieces." Bumi said, standing up.

"I'll set up the living room so you can play." Kya called out as the boys ran upstairs.

*#*

Soon, Bumi and Tenzin were in their third game with Tenzin leading with both prior games.

Kya watched silently with a cup of tea in her hand. Her brothers were more of the strategic type, planning every move and watching for traps, while she preferred to go with the wind, placing her pieces willy-nilly. Her way won her a few games early on, but she found it more exciting to watch the silent, mental fight between her brothers. All three were quiet during those few times.

Sokka walked in halfway, but all three were so infused in the game, they didn't notice his hellos. He shrugged it off, served himself a cup of tea, and sat next to Kya to watch along with her. The tournament ended just as Aang and Katara got home, with Bumi making an impressive comeback, winning by one.

The young boy cheered loudly as his parents walked in with bags and baskets filled with goods from the market.

"I'm guessing something good happened?" Aang asked as Bumi jumped into the air.

"Bumi is just showing off he won the tournament." Sokka answered

"See! I told you we should have left sooner! I missed it." Katara complained to Aang

"Alright, alright, you were right. Kids, come help to put the things from the marketplace away."

"Did you get my cloth?" Kya asked excitedly

"Yes, it's in one of the baskets. But put the groceries away before you go and play with it." Katara said sternly

Kya nodded and did her part.

Soon the groceries were put away and dinner was started. Bumi and Tenzin played another game while Kya went up to her room with the cloth.

* * *

After dinner was quite relaxing. Katara and Kya were busy serving more tea to everyone while Aang and Sokka recalled some old adventure they went on to Bumi and Tenzin.

"And that's why Toph doesn't react when you flick her right ear lobe." Sokka finished.

"I'm gonna try that next time!" Bumi mentioned to Tenzin

"Not if you don't want to end up in jail, brother." Tenzin said, patting him on the back

"When **are** we going back to Republic City? I need to get some of that delicious Earth Kingdom jook." Kya asked

"Maybe when Sokka reaches Republic City, we can all go to visit." Aang offered

"Yeah, and with me leaving later this week, we can get Kya and the rest of you some of that tasty food." Sokka added

"You're leaving so soon? I thought you still had another week?" Katara asked.

"I did too, but they need me a little sooner. One week won't make much of a difference, right?" Sokka said, trying to keep the night light and upbeat.

It failed though, when Bumi stood up abruptly.

"You're leaving?" He said quietly

"Yeah, but we're still going to see each other. We're still on for the North Pole, right everybody?" Sokka added, gesturing for all of them to distract Bumi.

"But…but, you were supposed to teach me how to throw a boomerang, and the club, and the rest of the martial arts, you can't leave yet?" Bumi cried out

"Bumi, it's not that bad. One week of your training won't kill you, brother." Tenzin interjected as he saw how riled up Bumi was getting.

"You don't get it, Tenzin! Nobody gets it!"

"Bumi, don't raise your voice at your brother like that." Katara warned

Bumi nodded, but stayed quiet.

"It's not like I'm going away forever. I'll be back soon," Sokka said, attempting to comfort the young boy with words.

"I just can't believe it's happening again." Bumi said before running upstairs.

"Bumi!" Aang called out to his son.

"Honestly, I don't know what just happened." Katara said as she started to walk up the stairs to Bumi's room before being stopped.

"Mom, there's no use. He's just going to push any adult away right now. I'll go talk to him." Kya responded, placing her hand on her mother's shoulder and somewhat forcing her away from the steps.

Katara nodded and allowed Kya to trump upstairs.

*#*

"Get up! We're going to talk." She said fiercely to her brother's upset body.

"Leave me alone Kya! Go downstairs or something, I want to be alone." Bumi complained

"Nope, it's finally time for you to stop acting this way. We're leaving."

Kya grabbed Bumi, lifted him off his bed, and threw him on her back. She quickly opened the door and walked downstairs against Bumi's cries of disagreement.

She got him outside without any of the adults noticing them and managed to get them to the regular training woods.

Setting him down somewhat softly, he landed with a thump on the ground. Kya did not wait for him to settle before talking.

"You can't keep doing this Bumi! Overreacting every time something does not go your way. We are a family and you throwing a dramatic fit is not helping!

You understand how important Sokka is right? You notice that?" She asked waiting for his brother to nod his head, "He can't always change his life for every single thing we need. He's going to try, don't you dare try to say he isn't, but it won't always work out!"

"You wouldn't know! You don't know what it's like being the only one here who doesn't bend! He does! And when he leaves, I'll be all alone again here on this stupid island."

"You know, you are being so selfish. The world doesn't revolve around you!"

"It doesn't revolve around having a boyfriend either! Tenzin and I always have to hear about you being floozy every time we go into the village."

Kya stopped in her rant and looked at Bumi with a heartbroken face.

"How dare you? Take that back!"

"Make me!"

Kya growled and waved her hands wildly in the air as she started to yell at Bumi again.

"You are so infuriating some times! Just stop it with the "woe is me" deal of yours! I know you cannot bend and I know you are upset about it, but I wish you would just get over it. You think we wanted to not have any bending? We'd rather you having bending and be all willy-nilly with them."

Kya stopped abruptly when she realized what she had said. Bumi's face fell when he heard it as well.

"Bumi? Bumi, I didn't mean it like that."

Bumi said nothing, simply standing up and walking back to the house.

"I'm going home." He said when he was a good distance away from Kya.

Kya nodded her head, even thought she knew Bumi wasn't looking and stayed where she stood, letting Bumi walk at his own pace.

She growled at her own stupidity and kicked the grass she was in, a few loose strands flying in the air from the force of her foot.

"Why do I always drive people away?!" She yelled when Bumi was far enough not to hear.

* * *

**Hello again!**

**Long time no see, huh? **

**Well, that's all my fault.**

**I JOINED TOO MANY THINGS!**

**Ugh, and I have three planned APs next year. **

**So yeah, if I don't update**

**I'm probably dead.**

**Anyway, not much to say about this chapter, except the fact that it is part 2 of 3 **

**of what was supposed to be Chapter 4.**

**But do not mourn the fact that you may not see the next chapter until summer.**

**I have promised not to rest until the chapter is done. **

**I'm on spring break, so don't worry about my sleeping habits just yet.**

**Next chapter will be up tomorrow, I just need to tie all the little parts I have together.**

**It's like 11 pm here in California, so maybe you'll get an update at like 3 am, who knows.**

**Anyway I have to go write some more.**

**Thank you for reading, see you tomorrow.**

**-Perfectly-Imperfect-447 **(I almost forgot my penname, ain't that sad?)

**PS: One thing I did do in my absence from the FF world was fix past chapters. Go check them out! They make more sense now!**


	6. It Always Comes Back Pt 3

**Told you I'd update!**

**Ha ha!**

**Now enjoy the chapter :)**

* * *

The next few days were some of the tensest around the household since Sokka had arrived. Bumi would show up for meals and chores, but any other time he was in his room. No one had tried to go talk to him since Kya and him walked back in the house and locked themselves in their rooms for the rest of the night.

Katara and Aang were worried about Bumi's wellbeing and trying to figure out what went down between him and Kya, who hadn't been home very little since the talk. She would show up for breakfast and leave home right after. Katara had tried following her once, but quickly lost sight of her in the crowds of the city. As long as Kya got home safely, she was alright, but she knew this had to stop soon.

Sokka, overall, was just too busy to try and comfort either one of the siblings. The week to plan a trip to Kyoshi Island and then the South Pole was tiring. It was him all day either on the phone or in the marketplace gathering supplies. He felt guilty, the fun family vacation time he was supposed to be having had turned sour and he felt responsible for it. He knew that he shouldn't feel so horrible, whatever happened between Kya and Bumi wasn't his entire fault, but knows he should have cared more.

Tenzin was stuck in the middle.

His fate was somewhat in limbo, stuck between making sure no fights or arguments broke out and comforting those who had fought when they did. It was the role Tenzin felt he played in this scene.

He couldn't very well side with his parents because he remembers that night so many years ago when Bumi cried after being bullied by some benders. He remembers that look Bumi had and how he said Tenzin just didn't get it.

And he couldn't side with Bumi either because Tenzin knew he was overreacting. Bumi had no right to yell at anyone or ignore them all and it made Tenzin mad to see childish behavior from him. He was the older brother, but Tenzin felt as if he was the one watching over Bumi.

Overall, Tenzin played the peacekeeper for the rest of the week. He just wondered how long he would do so after Sokka left.

The day Sokka was meant to depart the island was the most stressed-filled. The day started at daybreak and was set to end at sundown. Sokka had managed to get most of his supplies to make the trip safely. He had arranged for a crew to help him make the trip down for the South Pole, which meant collecting more supplies for all of them.

Katara and Aang were running around gathering any forgotten items, such as extra blankets, more wax for lights, another box of matches, whatever they thought Sokka might be missing.

Kya, Bumi, and Tenzin were helping Sokka pack every new item their parents brought away. It always seemed as when they finally got the bag closed, one more thing would appear and force them to repack everything into Sokka's luggage.

Both Kya and Bumi behaved, rarely giving each other a dirty look or sparing an insult. Tenzin wished the tension would stop soon. He hated to say it but he wished that Sokka would leave soon in order for the household to go back to normal.

When Katara and Aang came back from their last trip to the marketplace, they finished up the packing and started helping the children and the crews load the boat. Sokka was in the middle of another telephone conference and left the crew to their own devices.

Dinner was very loud and big. Katara had made a meal of stew, rice, and dumplings for the entire crew and her family. The ship members were grateful for Katara's generosity and took extras for the road ahead. Overall, dinner allowed for the tension around the household to disappear.

When the crew was all fed, when the bags were packed, when the last goodbyes were being said, Sokka knew there was one more thing he had to do.

* * *

Sokka came and knocked on the door before he left. Bumi got up and opened it himself, surprised to see his uncle.

"Hi Bumi."

"Hey Sokka, want to come in?" He offered, leaving the door a little wider.

"Sure. Bumi, before I leave, I just want to make sure you're okay. I don't want to meet you over there at the South Pole and find that you're still mad because I'm leaving."

"No, Uncle. It's okay, I've been thinking a lot about what you and the others have been saying, and I've know I was wrong. You don't have to worry about me meeting you mad."

"You don't know how happy I am to hear that. You know, when we meet back in the South Pole, I'll help you catch up with whatever you missed."

"That sounds so far away. I wish I could come with you."

"You should just stow away on my boat. Your mom won't mind at all." Sokka joked.

But it wasn't much of a joke to Bumi.

"Yeah, like that will ever happen." Bumi said, hesitantly.

"Well, I have to go finish loading the ship. See you downstairs?"

"You betcha!" Bumi added nervously.

Sokka smiled and closed the door behind him, leaving Bumi to his thoughts.

Stowing away on a boat, of course, was not a logical idea, but being logical was Tenzin's job. Bumi wasn't going to lie and not say he hadn't thought about it. He planned carefully and even managed to gather some supplies of his own. But he had changed his mind almost a thousand times, seeing the pros and cons of both sides.

But didn't Sokka just say that he wanted Bumi to join him? Was this the sign Bumi was waiting for?

All he needed was the perfect moment to make his get-away. He had already seen Sokka and his family was waiting downstairs for him. He figured he could slip out easily without being spotted.

He had packed everything away and was ready to escape through the window before anyone noticed he was gone.

His foot was already out when he knocked over a little picture frame of his family. He had chosen to leave it here in fear of taking one look at it during his trip and chickening out.

He was right; the picture was bringing back memories he didn't want at that moment and it was ruining his chances of getting out of there safely. He sighed and got back inside his room. He went over to his messy desk and pulled out a piece of crumpled paper. He smoothed it out, grabbed a brush, and proceeded to write a note.

_They deserve one more goodbye._

He folded the note carefully, placed it under the sheets next to the pillows, and snuck out his window for the last time.

* * *

"Okay Kya, you can do this. Just go in there, and help comfort your brother."

It had been an hour since Sokka had left, but Kya had been standing outside Bumi's door for the last twenty minutes, trying to come up with the courage to go inside to make things better with her first younger brother. He hadn't come down to say goodbye, but Sokka wasn't hurt. He had made his peace with Bumi. The room had been quiet, and Kya guessed that Bumi had been sleeping.

She knocked on the door and finally decided to open it when no response had come

"Bumi?"Kya said quietly as she walked into her brother's room.

"Bumi, are you okay? Do you want to talk? I won't throw you on the floor this time." Kya tried to joke.

The bed just stayed still as Kya walked closer to it. She knew that she might be invading his privacy, but there are some barriers sisters are allowed to break. She pulled back the sheets of the bed just a little, but she noticed something was wrong already.

Where Bumi's head should have been was a pillow. The whole outline of the body was pillows.

Kya grabbed the sheets and threw them off the bed, dislodging some of the pillows and a piece of paper.

She retrieved the fallen paper and quickly read through it. All the signs were there:

The messy desk, the disheveled drawers, the empty closet, the pillows on the bed, the open window.

Bumi had left, and it was all her fault.

She couldn't stop herself from breathing so harshly. Her lungs felt as if they were collapsing on themselves and her body was growing rebellious, forcing her to fall on the floor with shock and anguish.

_Was he okay? Where was he going? Was it safe? Was she ever going to see her brother again?_

This and a million other questions raced through Kya's head. All she could focus on, however, was Bumi.

She felt the hot tears of guilt coming and tried wiping them away, but there were just too many, and they were falling too quickly, and Kya just needed to calm down before she did anything crazy.

But that thought came too late, because her tears turned into sobs and those sobs startled Katara.

"Kya?" Katara called out, hearing the shrill sobs of the young waterbender.

She opened her bedroom door to find an empty room and the sobs continuing. She quickly figured where the noise out and ran to Bumi's room.

All Katara saw was Kya's crumpled body on the floor, sobbing as she held a now wrinkled letter.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!" Kya cried

"Kya, what's wrong?" Katara said running to Kya's side.

"I-and Bumi-then he- and I"

Kya finally stopped trying to explain and simply handed her mother the letter and placed her hands on her face in shame.

It was in Bumi's regular messy scrawl, but Katara saw the ink stains of a hurriedly written note and tears.

_To whoever finds this, _

_I'm sorry you have to find out this way, but I've stowed away on Uncle Sokka's ship. Don't blame him, he doesn't know yet. I've tried to time this so he doesn't find out until it's too late to take me home._

_I don't plan on leaving forever; I just need some time away from the rest of you. I need to make a name for myself outside of the nonbender in the Avatar's family. I'll arrive at the South Pole with Sokka and you can punish me there. I'll accept any responsibility, and whatever Sokka gives me too._

_I love you, and I'll see you soon. I will come back._

_-Bumi_

"Kya, what happened?" Katara said sharply

Kya took in a deep breath and started telling her mother of the talk she had forced Bumi to have.

* * *

In a boat sailing away from the only home he had ever known, Bumi looked up at the stars in the sky. The owner of the ship had let him stow away for a hefty price, but he had never felt so relieved to be so far away from the pressure.

It felt as every wave the ship passed, an ounce of weight was lifted off his shoulders. The only thing Bumi would have to worry about is not getting caught until they reached wherever they were going.

He heard the name of some island in passing.

Keyshi?

Kimchi?

Koyshi?

Whatever it was, they were supposed to be there in a few days, and then he could find his uncle, explain the whole situation, and join him on the rest of his trip.

He lied on his back to watch the stars up above him before he fell asleep.

He hoped what Kya had said was true. That the stars up above him were the same ones that were in the South Pole, or Republic City, or back home; it was all he wanted.

He took one last look at them before falling asleep slowly, then all at once.

* * *

**Author's Note**

**The reason this chapter is a little shorter than the rest of them**

**is just because it was just to wrap up what was supposed to be chapter 4.**

**But I digress.**

**Now, I need your help (if you are still reading this).**

**WHO DO I HAVE START THE NEXT CHAPTER?**

**I haven't started the next chapter, like at all, so where do you want us to go from here?**

**Anyway, thank you for reading and Please review.**

**-Perfectly-Imperfect-447**


	7. Voyage to Kyoshi Island

**So, I'm sick, dying of a cold, but I'm out of school!**

**Here's the next chapter, Voyage to Kyoshi Island**

* * *

Once out on the open seas, Bumi realized this was his place in the world. The ocean was only known to him as gentle and calm, but the past four days had proved to him differently; It could be as rough and terrifying as a komodo honeybadger. Its everchanging moods gave Bumi time to think and time to act, a life he had always yearned for.

Contrary to his original plan, Bumi had not let Sokka in on the secret that he was onboard yet. The only argument that his head could make was that he was waiting for the perfect moment to reveal his presense to Sokka. His heart knew the truth, however, he didn't want to be sent home so soon.

Sokka wasn't an illogical man, he looked at both sides of the arguement before making any decisions. That is why Bumi wanted to wait until they were closer to the coast before saying anything. It would be no fun to reach Kyoshi Island, only to be sent right back home.

_Home._

The word struck Bumi several times a day. Even though he had made great friends with the sailors onboard, all willing to listen and hide Bumi from his uncle, he thought about his family often.

It didn't help that the first few meals were hand-cooked leftovers from Katara, warm and comforting, as if Katara was right there next to Bumi. It also didn't help that he thought he had seen the family mail bird flying past the ship in the morning. Out in the open sea, his family was still there.

He was still painfully reminded of what he had left behind, but he kept himself from the anguished thoughts by reminding himself he would see them soon.

But even on a ship, thousand miles into sea, surrounded by friendly, but scary sailors, plagued by hiding from his Uncle, Bumi still couldn't help himself from thinking about what his family was doing.

* * *

"And what am I supposed to do here? Just wait?"Tenzin complained as he ran down the stairs trying to keep up with his mother.

"Yes, your father and I are leaving to get Bumi from that ship and bring him home, while you and Kya stay here." Katara responded

"Tenzin, we know that you want a piece of the action too, but now is not the time for that."

"Yeah, Master Baldhead, we just need to let Mom and Dad handle this one." Kya said solemnly

"Then, Can I say something?" Tenzin pleaded with his parents

"What's that, kiddo?" Aang inquired

"I can't be the only one that thinks we should just let Bumi be Bumi, right?"

That stopped Katara and Aang from packing Appa for the trip.

"What are you talking about? You can't think this is a good idea, running off, only leaving a note?" Katara argued.

"I know it's not. I think his note was a dramatic touch, but it doesn't change the fact that on some levels, Bumi was right." Tenzin added

"What are you saying Tenzin?" Kya asked

"Bumi thinks that his leaving is some kind of destiny, and I, for one, think we should support it, at least this time."

"That could be true. Letting him go might be the freedom he feels he needs. It's not the worst idea I've heard." Aang pondered aloud

"Are you listening to yourself? My son is out in the ocean, sailing miles from home, _without _ my permission, and you want to let him go through with this?" Katara half-yelled

Aang looked thoughtful for a moment, his hand stroking his beard for a moment before nodding and smiling.

"Yep." He said simply

Katara looked around to see that she was outnumbered on the subject. Finally, she threw her hands in the air in annoyance and gave up.

"Then I guess Bumi gets a free cruise! And all of the world is topsy-turvy again!" She cried out before leaving to the kitchen.

The three remaining benders stood in the living room in pure confusion. Aang sidestepped Kya and Tenzin, following Katara into the kitchen, where bowls and pans were suddenly clanging together loudly in a cacophony of sound.

"I'm going to go calm down your mother. Talk amongst yourselves." Aang said quietly, wincing as a loud crack was heard from Katara.

Kya and Tenzin looked to each other with small smiles before laughing.

"So, I guess you really wanted Bumi to get his trip, huh?" Kya said as she elbowed Tenzin's arm.

"Yeah, only so we wouldn't have to hear him complain about how he only got so far in a couple of hours or how he was planning to do it again. You know, for the sake of the family." Tenzin shrugged, rubbing his arm.

"Liar, you just care about Bumi." Kya said, wrapping her arm around her youngest brother's shoulders.

"I want him to get it out of his system and by happy. I just hope he's okay."

"You and me both, buddy. You and me both."

* * *

Day 6 on board was the turning point of Bumi's attitude of the sea. He had a few close call of meeting with Sokka on deck because of his newfound seasickness. It was a new feeling, the constant moving of the sea was no longer comforting; he dreaded when they met with a new wave or tide.

Bumi knew he wouldn't have lasted a few more days on board without Sokka's knowledge, but when those famous cries of , "Land Ho," finally came, his spirits were so uplifted that he cried out in happiness.

"Ha, ha! Happy to see land again, eh Bumi?"

Bumi turned to see Lee, the keeper of deck, smiling at him.

"Oh Lee, you don't even know. I never thought I'd be so happy to even hear the mention of land. How long until we dock?"

"They're all celebrating upstairs, saying we'll be there by midday."

"Great, only like a whole day to go." Bumi complained

Lee laughed at the young boy's attitude, before sobering up.

"Eh, uh, listen Bumi. Me and the other boys have been talkin' and we think it's high time that you tell your uncle what's up." Lee said, wrinkling his hat in his hands.

"Oh no! It's definitely not time for that. He'll kill me now!"

"Well, how are you going to get back on the boat next time? Your uncle isn't going to ignorant to your presence forever."

"Lee, please just let me handle it. Once i get on the island, it'll be the perfect time to tell him. He can't send me back yet."

Lee looked to Bumi with wary eyes and gave his a stern face

"Bumi, you're a nice boy, and I'm trusting you to tell your uncle, but don't think that if you don't tell him, I won't. It'll only be for your own good."

Lee softened his eyes slightly and patted Bumi's shoulders before leaving to the deck of the ship.

Bumi groaned and fell back into one of the hammocks of the ship. He had been glad about the sounds of coming land, but now he realized his time was up. He enjoyed Lee's friendship during the trip, but as he gave Bumi a more fatherly talk, he realized that Bumi wouldn't be able to escape the seemingly oppressive view of adults just yet.

* * *

Aang walked into the kitchen apprehensively, trying to dodge whatever Katara was making noise with.

_Was that the salt shaker?_ He thought as he maneuvered to stop himself from getting hit with another flying object.

Katara was tossing all sorts of ingredients into a bowl and throwing them aggressively away. She was grumbling to herself and would often just shout out random words and phrases. If it was any other day, for any other situation, Aang would have joined in and then helped Katara eat whatever they had made. But this was serious, and Aang took a deep breath.

"You need any help over there?" He asked quietly

_Yep, that's not going to get you in any trouble._

"Not from you obviously." She answered angrily

_And there it _i_s, the problem_

"You know as well as I do that we needed to let Bumi do this."

"Did we Aang? Did we really need to ? Because while it seems to be clear to everyone else, I don't see how we're supposed to let my little boy go off on some haphazard adventure where he could end up getting hurt, or worse, dead?"

"Katara, the reason you're seeing it differently than the rest of us is that you're seeing it from the point of view of a mother."

"Wow, what a revelation. The mother of the boy we just let go on some adventure is seeing it through the eyes of a mother. What a shocker."

"You know what I mean. You have this amazing skill of being able to sympathize with anyone outside of our inner circle. But, you're just a little too overprotective with the people inside of that circle and especially with the kids."

"I'm their mother, I'm supposed to be."

"And I'm not saying that that's bad, but it doesn't always give us the best results. Kya and Tenzin see Bumi for who he truly is, an adventurous boy who needs a release every now and then. You see him as a little boy who still needs to hold one of us to hold on to when we go swimming. I see him as the free spirit he got from my side of the family and the responsible young man from yours."

Katara had stopped messing around in the kitchen the minute her and Aang had begun talking, but she still fiddled with the dishcloth in her hands. A part of her knew Aang was right, that she still saw Bumi as her little boy, especially since he had started training with Sokka, but the other part tried to justify her feelings.

And at the moment, that side was losing.

"I just don't want anything to happen to him." She said finally

"I can't promise that. But we can at least support him on this. That's all he's ever wanted."

"I'm sending a letter to Kyoshi Island. He needs to hear this from us. Who knows? Maybe he'll make some realizations of his own."

Aang smiled and wrapped his arm around Katara as she left the kitchen with him and started to write the letter.

When she had finished writing her letter, Aang added his own message to Bumi and attached it to the family mail bird and sent it on its way.

* * *

Sleeping on the ship was another downside to this adventure Bumi quickly found out.

There were assigned beds in order to keep some order down below, but Bumi often found himself on the floor because no one was expecting him to tag along and no one was going to trade a hammock in exchange for a space on the tough floor.

This meant that Bumi's nights weren't spent sleeping, but often thinking. An act he tried to avoid in the daylight. Most nights he made his way to the deck, looking over the ship to see the waves and spot any fish.

The moonlight reminded so much of his mother, then of Kya, followed by Tenzin, and finally his father found his way in. He wondered how much he hurt any of them when he left, if they'd forgive him when he went back.

The still and quiet often distracted Bumi from any other activity on board, so when a familiar figure stepped on deck, it was safe to say that Bumi didn't notice.

Bumi froze and felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up when the figure spoke up behind him.

"Beautiful night for a talk, isn't it Bumi?"

* * *

**Dun Dun DUUUN!**

**No, but really, I'm working on the next chapter already.**

**This one has been done for a while, but I had no time to actually publish it because**

**school.**

**Anyways, I'm on summer break now, so expect two or three updates from now.**

**Thank you for reading and Please review.**

**-Perfectly-Imperfect-447**


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